BY GUNGOR MENGI
VATAN- We watched the show with the theme of 'a new beginning' made by US President Barack Obama yesterday. If you asked me whether it would worth getting excited or not, I would tell you that it depends on your expectations. When he entered upon his duty in January, he addressed to the Islam world, saying that the US pursues a new road based on mutual interests and mutual respect. He didn't put forth a new road map, but he convinced all the circles, except the focuses of hatred who knows nothing but terrorism, that he's well-intentioned.
He hasn't put forth new plans which are expected by points of crisis in the world, but this situation doesn't decrease the historical importance of his address to the Islam world from Cairo, because Obama at least represents a change in the US' style of addressing. As a matter of fact, while Iran and al-Quada criticized his speech, even Hamas defined it as a speech reflecting the change, though it consists of certain contradictions. These initial repercussions point at an important gain, that is, bridges to be built against the groups and regimes which are based on extremities and violence can provide an important progress in order to isolate Islamic terrorism.
There's a general view that Obama is an opportunity which was created to change the US' negative image. Former US President George W. Bush also said good things about Islam, following the September 11 attacks when al-Quada hit the US. For example, he said that Islam means peace and that those terrorists aren't the symbol of peace, but the symbol of evil and war. But then he also became the creator of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Obama has integrated his statements into his actions and thus ordered that the island of torture would be closed. Israel is the first factor in priority which determines the US' Middle East policies; to bring or not to bring a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This dilemma will determine both the future of Middle East and Obama's fate.
Some people might doubt that Obama's moves aimed at removing the anti-American stance in the Islam world were determined very carefully. We shouldn't think that they're not right. Obama said yesterday, 'I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal. But I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.' It's not so hard to estimate how the headscarf lobby will use this. Obama paid his first visit to Turkey, a Muslim and NATO member country which is governed by secular democracy. If he doesn't know that discussions on headscarf consist of certain determining effects in politics, it would be impossible not to warn him about it. He shouldn't have expressed this view of him as if laying down a law.