Hashishi

What a speech!

"We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world – tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the west includes centuries of co-existence and co-operation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a cold war in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalisation led many Muslims to view the west as hostile to the traditions of Islam."

This administration, in rhetoric at least, has its finger right on the fucking button as far as foreign affairs are concerned. If somebody knows of an acknowledgement like the one I've emboldened above coming from any of the last two centuries' imperial powers then let me know... because I cannot think of nor envisage a single one.

I remember one of Ahmedinejad's pretexts for opening dialogue with the States was the admittance and an apology for such 'proxy wars' and 'colonialist crimes'. If that aint it then I dunno what is. I know it's just rhetoric, but it went down a hoot and so it bloody well should.

Full speech here.

__________________