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Opening of the Third Annual U.S.-Islamic
World Forum
Doha, Qatar
February 18, 2006
Your Highness, Sheikh Haamid Emir of Qatar, OIC
Secretary General Ihsanoglu, distinguished guests and friends,
it’s an honor and pleasure to be here with you. I thank the
organizers of this Forum and the many partners, including the
Qatari Government, for their hard work in making this conference
so successful. I thank the Brookings project on U.S. policy toward
the Islamic World. Brookings is a home for scholars and experts
and over the years has made important contributions to public
policy debate.
The theme of this year’s U.S.-Islamic World
Forum, "Leaders Effect Change," underscores the crucial
role that leaders play in transforming societies. And as we all
know, those leaders come not just from government, or business, or
the great leaders of our faith communities -- leaders
sometimes come from the most unlikely of places.
Last fall, my country mourned the death of a woman who never would
have described herself as a great leader, but became one -- from a
most unlikely place. She was a black woman living in the
segregated south. She didn’t have power, or wealth, or any
position of particular influence -- she had something far more
valuable: a quiet dignity and an unshakeable belief in justice.
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on
the bus to a white man, she was tired after a long day’s work as
a seamstress -- but most of all, she was tired of a life of
indignity and injustice in a country that was failing to live up
to its founding conviction that all of us are created equal.
Rosa Parks’ act of quiet defiance helped
spark America’s civil rights movement. She came to symbolize the
conscience of my country, a country that still strives every day
to live up to the pledge we make of liberty and justice for all.
Rosa Parks reminds us that we should never underestimate the
difference that one person of courage and conscience can make.
This fall will mark the 5th anniversary of a
terrible day in America. I was working at the White House on
September 11, and I will never forget the shock, and horror, and
sorrow of realizing that terrorists had launched a massive and
unprovoked attack, killing thousands of innocent people.
Those attacks were acts of hate and murder
inspired by a violent ideology that seeks to impose tyranny by
force and fear. The contrast with the peaceful means and noble
ends of Rosa Parks could not be starker. Yet those terror attacks
also sparked a new recognition – that just as America must work
every day to advance liberty and justice at home, we also have a
vital interest in fostering them abroad. As President Bush said in
his second inaugural: "For as long as whole regions of the
world simmer in resentment and tyranny – prone to ideologies
that feed hatred and excuse murder, violence will gather, and
multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders
and raise a mortal threat. There is only one force of history that
can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the
pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and
tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom." In the
aftermath of September 11, America came to recognize that there
will be no real security, no lasting peace, until America stands
with those brave voices crying out for liberty and justice
throughout the world.
Those voices sometimes come from unlikely places. I think of a
young woman from Pakistan who was brutally gang-raped, then dared
to speak out and challenge the status quo and foster change by
saying that rape is always a terrible crime and never a matter of
honor. For this young woman, speaking out could not have been
easy; history suggests that advocating change rarely is. Change
challenges us, shakes our certainty and our assumptions, make us
uncomfortable. Change is frequently feared and fought, yet often,
once it finally arrives, is seen in hindsight as not only
necessary but also too long in coming. As Secretary Rice said in
Cairo, "all great moral achievements begin with individuals
who do not accept that the reality of today must also be the
reality of tomorrow." Throughout history, the prospect of
change has set people free to imagine a different and better world
-- and great leaders not only see this potential, but seize it and
help bring it about.
Throughout the world today, brave leaders --
some of them from unlikely places -- are challenging the status
quo, advocating change, seeking to unleash that most powerful
force of human freedom to make their societies more just, more
honest, more open, more accountable.
A few hundred miles north of here, a heroic
Iranian journalist, Akbar Ganji fights a lonely battle for liberty
in his beloved land. Imprisoned for almost six years now, his
so-called crime was daring to bring to light through his writing
the involvement of government authorities in a series of killings
of writers and dissidents. He represents a new generation of
Iranians who will insist on change. The people of Iran desire
liberty, they deserve liberty and one day they will make Iran’s
Government worthy of its great people. As Secretary Rice noted in
her testimony this week before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, America and our international partners are very
concerned about the destabilizing policies of the Iranian regime
throughout the region, policies that support -- and export --
terrorism and violent extremism. We are determined, as the
Secretary said, to "actively confront the aggressive policies
of this Iranian regime…at the same time, we are going to work to
support the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom in their
own country."
In Kuwait, a brave woman named Roula al-Dashti
spoke out to the men leading her country with a compelling
message: "half a democracy is not a democracy." She
challenged the status quo, recruited student leaders from Kuwait
University to join her cause and helped women gain the right to
vote and run for office in Kuwait.
Some of these leaders advocating change have
paid a terrible price. In Egypt, Nobel Prize winning author Naguib
Mahfouz can no longer write as a result of an attempt on his life
by violent extremists. The only Arab author ever to be awarded a
Nobel Prize for Literature, Mahfouz is beloved for his sensitive
portrayals of Egyptian and Arab character. As a supporter of Anwar
Sadat’s peace initiative with Israel, he made a brave statement
in favor of Egypt’s future. His characters have become household
words in Egypt and the Arab world, and those who tried to silence
him instead made his voice even more influential.
In Lebanon, one year ago this week, Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri was brutally murdered. Yet this enormous
loss for Lebanon sparked a great change he would have welcomed in
his life, as the Lebanese people discovered the power of their
voices and demanded an end to Syrian domination and occupation of
their country.
And, tonight, we remember someone who should be
with us but is not, Mustafa Akkad. A Muslim and an immigrant to
America, he was a son of Aleppo who loved both America and his
homeland. He tried through film to present an Islam that is
compassionate, humane and spiritual. His death and that of his
daughter in the Amman hotel bombings are tragic losses for all who
appreciated his art and his spirit.
Throughout the Islamic world, people are
beginning to make their voices heard in free elections. I’ll
never forget waking up in the morning and seeing the pictures in
my newspaper, somewhat blurry because of the tears in my eyes --
of the long lines of men and women in Afghanistan and later Iraq
-- defying the threat of death to vote for a better future -- and
raising purple ink-stained fingers in triumph. Think about the
enormity of what we have witnessed in a very short time: two
elections in Afghanistan for a president and a parliament; three
elections in Iraq for a constitution, an interim and permanent
government, two in Egypt for President and Parliament, two in the
Palestinian territories, one in Lebanon, and municipal elections
in Saudi Arabia. Some of these elections were more open and freer
than others, each had a very different outcome, yet each was a
part of fostering freedom by encouraging debate, stimulating
discussion, allowing greater participation of people who deserve
to chart their own course to their future.
Recently, the Palestinian people had an
election and voted for change. I want the Palestinian people to
know that America shares your hope for a better life and your
dream of a state of your own living side by side in peace with
Israel, and we are working to help you achieve both. We
congratulate you on conducting free, fair and open elections. You
made your voices heard -- you want better services and an end to
corruption. We also believe you want to live and work and raise
your children in peace. President Bush spoke of that dream -- of
two free and democratic states living side by side in peace and
freedom. That vision of course is only possible if we all accept
the idea of two states. The two-state concept is at the heart of
two peace treaties, and many international decisions, agreements
and understandings -- yet it is still not accepted by some. But to
live, to work, to go to school, to live free and productive lives,
people must feel free from violence and terror -- and must
understand that others should have that same freedom from fear.
America and the international community, which care deeply about
the Palestinian people, have quite reasonably said that we must
all share the same principles -- principles we have agreed on
through years of negotiations-- to arrive at our common goal of
Palestinian statehood. And so to deliver on its promises to
achieve a better future for the Palestinian people, it is the
responsibility of any Palestinian government to renounce violence
and terror, to recognize Israel’s right to exist and to accept
previous agreements and obligations, including the roadmap. This
is the only way forward.
And let me be clear: America believes in
democracy even when we strongly disagree with the views of those
elected, just as America believes in free speech even when we are
deeply offended by what is sometimes said.
Of course, with freedom comes responsibility,
maa-alhurria, mas’uliya. Governments have responsibilities to
their people -- to establish the rule of law, protect human
rights, including the rights of women and minorities, fight
corruption and widen political participation. Elections are an
important part of democracy, but they are only a part -- a
thriving democracy requires independent political parties,
non-governmental organizations, a free press, and civic
institutions that allow people to assemble freely and engage in
discussion and debate without fear or government harassment. The
challenge for leaders in this region is to listen to their
people’s call for greater freedom: allow them to form political
parties, let them gather and speak more freely, give them access
to newsprint so they can run their own newspapers.
In a free society, individuals have community
responsibilities as well. We have a responsibility to respect and
appreciate, even celebrate, the views of others. In a genuine
democracy, all have a right to express their views, share ideas
and participate as equals. In a society built on freedom and
justice, we have the right to offend one another but the
responsibility to do our best not to. In my country certain racial
and ethnic slurs are no longer used by civil people even though
there is no law prohibiting it -- and while newspapers would be
free to publish them most would never do so -- just as many
American newspapers chose not to reprint the cartoons depicting
the Prophet because they recognize they are deeply offensive, even
blasphemous to the precious convictions of our Muslim friends and
neighbors.
As we discuss these often difficult issues, we
must not allow the extremes to define us -- and that’s frankly a
very difficult task in a world of instant news where rumors can
spark riots and violence gets far more attention than peaceful
protest. Both Western and Islamic voices have denounced the
cartoons as offensive. Both Western and Muslim voices have called
for tolerance and respect. Both Western and Islamic voices
denounced the violence. Protestors were wrong to threaten lives
and vandalize property; governments and others were wrong to try
to manipulate genuine anger -- yet thousands of people also
marched peacefully, exercising their own right to express
themselves. I also hope that governments, journalists and others
will take this opportunity for introspection and speak out
forcefully against anti-Semitic and anti-Christian statements that
appear too often in the publications of this region.
Five years after September 11, some are
claiming the cartoon controversy speaks to a clash of
civilizations -- but that is exactly the clash our enemies are
trying to provoke and we must not allow it.
Five years after the sudden fires of September
11, we have learned a great deal.
First, Americans, the peoples of the Islamic
world, and decent people throughout the world face a common
threat, and we must face it together. Terrorists attacked not only
America, but everyone who dares disagree with them or stands in
their way or those who simply find themselves in the wrong place
at the wrong time. Since September 11, terrorists have continued
to strike, killing hundreds of innocent victims in Afghanistan,
Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Great Britain, Russia, and Spain
and many others. And many of those killed were Muslims.
Second, our opponents are trying to make this a matter of
religion, when theirs is truly a political ideology of tyranny and
hate. Urging young people to strap bombs on their bodies to kill
themselves and as many innocents as possible is not a legitimate
tenet of any faith. Islam, Christianity, Judaism -- all the
world’s great religions -- view life as precious, and the taking
of innocent life as wrong. We know from their own statements and
writings that the extremists’ real agenda is take over one or
more of the proud nation states in the Islamic world and impose a
super-state in which violent extremists would dictate the fate of
millions. The people of Afghanistan know better than anyone the
political agenda these extremists want to impose on the rest of us
-- because they were forced to endure it. The Taliban stifled
debate, creativity, expression. Listening to music, watching
television, flying kites -- even laughing out loud -- were banned.
Women were virtual prisoners in their homes, unable to freely go
to the market, banned from working even if they had no husband or
other means of support. Little girls were not allowed to go to
school or even to learn to read at home. The people of Afghanistan
have lived the ideology our opponents espouse, and in a recent
poll an overwhelming majority rejected it. Eighty-two percent said
overthrowing the Taliban government was good for Afghanistan.
Muslim communities throughout the world should take note that the
Muslims who know the violent extremists the best emphatically
reject them.
Third, all of us must work to foster greater
interfaith understanding and dialogue. People’s faith
convictions are deeply held, and precious. I know, because mine
are to me. I worry that America’s freedom of religion is
sometimes mistaken for freedom from religion. Americans believe in
the separation of church and state -- that means our government
does not dictate how Americans can worship -- people are free to
worship as they wish. Many Americans are deeply committed to their
faith, and all people of faith have a great deal in common. As a
Christian, my Savior says my highest priorities are to love God
and love my neighbor -- and my Muslim and Jewish friends share
that belief. Americans respect all religions, including Islam and
an estimated 7 million Muslims live, work and worship freely in my
country. As a government official, I represent people of all
faiths, as well as those who have no faith at all. In a country as
diverse as ours, we must all honor the beliefs held sacred by each
other -- and the best way to do this is through dialogue and
respect and understanding.
Finally, I believe it is incumbent on all of us
to work to foster common interests and common values between our
diverse peoples. We have much to learn from each other and we have
more that can unite us than divide us. We all value education and
want its benefits for our children. We value science and
technology and want to explore new frontiers together. We all want
to protect our families. We all want to live honorable and decent
lives, lives that we hope can make a difference for good.
I view my job as waging peace. And I use the
word waging very intentionally because achieving peace, helping to
bring about a freer and better world will take the wholehearted
commitment of each of us. As this conference suggests, leaders
effect change -- and I want to take this opportunity to challenge
every one of us -- in government, in business, in journalism, in
think tanks -- and a lot of individuals out there who may become
leaders from unlikely places -- to raise our voices against terror
and to confront the culture of hate. We must come together as a
world community to say no matter how legitimate the grievance, no
matter how valid the cause -- the wanton killing of innocents is
not ever right and not ever acceptable. We must do for terror what
was done to slavery and make it an international pariah. If we
truly desire to reach a better understanding of each other, if we
truly want our dialogue to produce results, we have to stop
demonizing each other and replace hate with hope.
My country is known as a land of opportunity,
where people who are willing to work hard can achieve their
dreams. As a mother who loves my own and other children dearly --
I want that opportunity for all the world’s children. America
works and will continue to work with the many nations of the
Islamic world in a spirit of partnership -- we seek to be a
partner for peace, a partner for progress, a partner for a better
life for all our peoples. And I am convinced that together we can
effect change and bring about a world of greater liberty and
justice for all. Thank you.
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