Here are some excerpts of President Trump’s visit to Riyadh from Saudi Arabia’s state publication, Arab News.
Not only did last night’s speech silence most critics — in this region at least — but it made it very clear that Trump will do what he thinks is right, no matter how harshly he is made to look like he is contradicting himself back home.
What matters to this part of the world is that we feared a president who would seek to divide us, but got one who last night talked about unity and how standing together will ensure we do not fail. We feared a president we were led to believe hates our values and culture, but we got one who sipped our coffee, joined us in sword dancing and told us last night that the US is not here to impose its way of life, but to offer us a helping hand if we choose to take it.
We thought that when Trump said “America First,” he meant we would be neglected and left to our misery. But it is his predecessor Barack Obama who did that when he opted to lecture and profess instead of adhering to his own red line when Syrian President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons against his own people.
Trump and Muslim leaders — the work begins now
Perhaps more astonishing is that at the center of this event stands US President Donald Trump, who over the course of last year, through his words and actions, came to be seen as the anti-Muslim election candidate. Who would have believed that his first overseas trip as president would be to the land of Islam’s holiest sites, addressing Muslim leaders about the need for unity and common cause?
Never has it been truer that power brings responsibility. Trump has come to realize that many of the foremost US priorities depend on the Muslim world: Fighting terrorism, containing Iran, enhancing regional stability and encouraging trade on terms favorable to everyone. As a businessman, he has an instinct for where his and US interests lie, so his first presidential travel brought him to Riyadh.
New era of US-Arab partnership inaugurated by Trump
Just as remarkable has been the genuine and heartfelt grassroots response in Saudi Arabia to Trump and “brand America.” The cultural intersection between America and Arabia was beautifully broadcast as Saudis gathered for Harley Davidson motorcycle rallies and country music concerts, cheering when the American anthem played in the stadium. Trump and his Cabinet partaking in the traditional ardha dance along with the king is a sight that will be imprinted in the annals of US history for generations to come.
The fact that Trump made Riyadh his first stop abroad as president speaks volumes. A major impetus for this decision seems to have been the March visit to Washington by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Insiders viewed the trip as a success.
The deputy crown prince discussed not just enhancing counterterrorism and defense cooperation with the US, but significantly increasing Saudi investment in the country and paving the way for more American companies to do business in the Kingdom.
If there ever was a clear break from former President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy — which almost exclusively invested in the Iran nuclear deal and viewed Saudi Arabia with cordial yet cold detachment — this was it.
The significance of Trump’s visit
There is undoubtedly a positive message being sent when a US president chooses Saudi Arabia, the land of the Two Holy Mosques, as his first foreign destination. This positivity, shown by Donald Trump, deserves our sincere gratitude for choosing to endorse the moderate Islamic world.
Moderates in the Kingdom and worldwide have always wanted a serious partner to help reclaim the narrative from extremists, and a clear distinction between those who believe Islam is against terror and those who use it to justify terror. Some people with twisted minds have used our religion to create confusion and obscure its real message, which is peace for humanity.
This positive message from the US is an indication of the weight and prominence that Saudi Arabia is privileged to enjoy in the Islamic world. This is why I, as head of the Muslim World League and a proud Saudi citizen, salute Trump for this courageous and meaningful stance.
This visit will have a positive impact in that it is a slap in the face of those who want to sow the seeds of division and extremism. It is very important for the US to stand on the right side of history as we deal with the scourge of terrorism. It is infinitesimally more important for, and incumbent upon, the US to stand with moderate states.
Trump’s visit comes at a time of need to support efforts and emphasize common values between the US and the Islamic world. Our enemies, whose lifelong aim has been to create fitna (mischief), want nothing more than to drive a wedge between us. We must not allow them to.
I would like to reassure President Trump and the American people that there is absolutely no confusion in our ranks as Muslims that it is our bounden responsibility to stand up to terrorism, especially when we see it using our name. Also, we should all not lose sight of the fact that this terrible war has to be waged first with ideology rather than with military weapons.
I also take this opportunity to reassure everyone reading this that it is our duty as Muslims to respect the laws and constitutions of non-Muslim countries where we live. At the same time, we would like to praise the outstanding achievements of American Muslims who have proven to be ideal citizens and successful professionals in various fields, while also being devout and proud Muslims.
With such a positive attitude, and so long as he is eager to serve justice, we welcome President Trump’s initiatives with open arms and pray that our cooperation makes the relationship between Muslims and America great again.
Without question, the left will now pivot to neo-nationalists now — fomenting strife between Saudi Arabia and the United States — only because it’s politically expedient to do so. Truth is, they’re just racist against brown people.
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May 22, 2017 at 07:32AM
from Dr. Fly
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