Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

International Politic
3International Politics
International conflicts at <strong>the</strong> intersection of termed <strong>the</strong> “lack of real political will on <strong>the</strong>
<strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Muslim world dominated part of officials, media, academics <strong>and</strong> legislators
headlines <strong>and</strong> diplomacy in 2006-2007, in <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>.”
including <strong>the</strong> United States occupation <strong>and</strong>
civil war in Iraq, <strong>the</strong> Israeli war in Lebanon, In <strong>the</strong> midst of international crises centred on
<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
28
International Politics
instability within <strong>the</strong> Palestinian territories,
international terrorism <strong>and</strong> efforts to combat it,
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> US-Iranian confrontation over Teheran’s
nuclear programme. O<strong>the</strong>r flashpoints included
<strong>the</strong> Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria <strong>and</strong> Pakistan.
Each international controversy had political,
economic, <strong>and</strong> strategic stakes. But each also
had a religious <strong>and</strong> cultural dimension. Political
leaders, whe<strong>the</strong>r religious or secular in orientation,
often framed conflicts in <strong>the</strong> context of <strong>West</strong>-
<strong>Islam</strong>ic relations.
Over <strong>the</strong> past several years, <strong>the</strong> Organization
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic Conference (OIC), agrouping
of 57 mainly Muslim-majority countries, has
emerged as a major voice in international
affairs. Under its Secretary General Ekmeleddin
Ihsanoglu, <strong>the</strong> OIC has highlighted <strong>the</strong> interests
<strong>and</strong> concerns of Muslims <strong>and</strong> charged <strong>the</strong>
<strong>West</strong> with not being adequately responsive to
<strong>the</strong>m. Around <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> September 2006
meeting of <strong>the</strong> UN General Assembly, Ihsanoglu
told a group of OIC foreign ministers that
“most of <strong>the</strong> world’s hot-bed areas of conflict
<strong>and</strong> tension involve Muslim parties or Muslims’
concerns.” He continued: “The suffering in
Iraq, <strong>the</strong> denial of rights in Palestine, Kashmir
<strong>and</strong> Cyprus, <strong>the</strong> state of lawlessness in Somalia,
<strong>the</strong> security situation in Afghanistan, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>
situation of Muslim minorities in <strong>the</strong> Philippines,
sou<strong>the</strong>rn Thail<strong>and</strong>, Myanmar <strong>and</strong> elsewhere in
<strong>the</strong> Diaspora cries for justice <strong>and</strong> recognition
of rights.” Ihsanoglu called for political action,
but also for dialogue to counter what he
<strong>the</strong> Middle East, United States President
George W. Bush acknowledged <strong>the</strong> importance
of dialogue on many occasions. In June 2007,
<strong>the</strong> US appointed a special envoy to <strong>the</strong> OIC
for <strong>the</strong> first time. Bush used that occasion for
dialogue to defend vigorously American foreign
policy as consonant with Muslim interests
<strong>and</strong> concerns. “For decades <strong>the</strong> free world
ab<strong>and</strong>oned Muslims in <strong>the</strong> Middle East to
tyrants, <strong>and</strong> terrorists <strong>and</strong> hopelessness,”
he argued. “This was done in <strong>the</strong> interests of
stability <strong>and</strong> peace, but instead <strong>the</strong> approach
brought nei<strong>the</strong>r. The Middle East became an
incubator for terrorism <strong>and</strong> despair, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>
result was an increase in Muslims' hostility to
<strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>.”
“ Every organizer should make
an extra effort to enlist some
politicians in <strong>the</strong>ir work.
The dialogue circuit is too
full of people too far from
decision-making.”
Jan Petersen
O<strong>the</strong>r <strong>West</strong>ern leaders, including <strong>the</strong>n Prime
Minister Tony Blair of <strong>the</strong> United Kingdom <strong>and</strong>
Angela Merkel of Germany, drew connections
between <strong>the</strong> struggle for democracy <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>
struggle against terrorism. On <strong>the</strong> fifth anniversary
of 9/11, Merkel declared: “Our fight against
<strong>Islam</strong>ist terrorism will only succeed if we