Iran Ready for Diplomacy?

There are a bunch of stiff heads who would rather see Iran as the enemy and continue to shun them and the Muslim people as a whole, but that doesn't bode well for our own national security.

Stiff heads need to get with the program and they probably need to grow up a little, too. They still think Christianity is at war with Islam. Under Bush, that's what the U.S. has been communicating to the Middle East. Just check out any conservative website.

It's all about respecting language and words. if the most powerful country is going to disrespect other nations by calling them evil, then obviously, duh, that's going to rankle a lot of world leaders.

And it has.

Obama is using words and taking small gradual actions to back up those words-- sending peace envoys, doing Arab-language interviews.

At least the doors seem to be opening now, whereas, under Bush, all the doors were slammed shut.

CNN: "If changes happens, we will welcome such an endeavor," Ahmadinejad told a crowd of thousands in a speech broadcast on national television from the western region of Khermenshah.

"We welcome change, but providing change is fundamental and is in the correct direction."

In Tuesday's interview with Al-Arabiya, Obama said his administration will offer a hand of friendship to the Muslim world.

"My job ... is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama said. "We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect."

Obama addressed Iran specifically, prefacing his remarks with "Iranian people are a great people," but adding "Iran has acted in ways that are not conducive to peace and prosperity in the region."

Still, it's going to be a crazy huge challenge. Ahmandinejad is a wee bit off kilter in his demands:

"If certain parties want to bring about change, change entails for them to apologize to the Iranian people and try to make amends for their blackened history, their past record, the atrocities they have committed against the Iranian people," Ahmadinejad said.

He also called on the United States to end its support of Israel. Obama said in his interview that the U.S. will continue to be a strong ally with Israel.

Obama's TV Interview With Al-Arabiya Airs Tonight

Updated with video below.
Obama does some more reaching out. It's doubtful if in 8 years Bush ever did an interview on Arabic-language TV. I could be wrong.
If Obama could reach the Muslim world and let them know that the U.S. doesn't intend to conquer, that could go a long way toward defanging the terrorists, or at least helping to keep new ones from being made.
Al-Arabiya is based in Dubai. Check it out here.

ABC: President Obama has sat for his first formal TV interview with the Arabic cable TV network Al-Arabiya, ABC News has learned.

The interview was taped this evening and is set to air at 11 pm ET, as Mitchell is in the air and on his way to the region.

Al-Arabiya is a moderate voice in the Arab world.
This interview has caused the Obama haters to go into high freakout mode. Here's an excerpt of the interview from a Politico story:

Obama also signaled a move away from President Bush's confrontational, generalizing language. Melhem noted to Obama that "President Bush framed the war on terror conceptually in a way that was very broad, 'war on terror,' and used sometimes certain terminology that the many people -- Islamic fascism. You've always framed it in a different way, specifically against one group called al Qaeda and their collaborators."

"I think that you're making a very important point. And that is that the language we use matters," Obama replied. "[W]hat we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations -- whether Muslim or any other faith in the past -- that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name.

"And so you will I think see our administration be very clear in distinguishing between organizations like al Qaeda -- that espouse violence, espouse terror and act on it -- and people who may disagree with my administration and certain actions, or may have a particular viewpoint in terms of how their countries should develop," he said. "We can have legitimate disagreements but still be respectful. I cannot respect terrorist organizations that would kill innocent civilians and we will hunt them down."

Obama's shift Monday was one of tone, not of policy, and he also affirmed America's support for Israel.

"Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount," he said. "But I also believe that there are Israelis who recognize that it is important to achieve peace. They will be willing to make sacrifices if the time is appropriate and if there is serious partnership on the other side."

Part 2

Some analysis by CNN after part of the interview: