07/05/2006
Dear President of the United States, George W. Bush
I wish I could send this letter to you. Maybe your agents who are constantly searching the internet for the words "president", "Bush" together with "terror" and "kill", will find this article and send it on to you. I can always hope...
I just wanted to say a few words before you send the world into a total mayhem. I understand that you are concerned about the Iranian president who say Israel must dissapear from the surface of the earth. I don't even have to say more about that because it is so unprecedented for a leader of a nation to say something even remotely similar. But you compare Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with Adolph Hitler before WW2 and say we should learn from not taking him seriously then. But Hitler never said he would destroy another country. That would be politically suicide to do that when he had a plan to take over the world. Someone would have stopped him then.
So why does Ahmadinejad let the world know his plans? If he really wanted to destroy Israel, it is my guess that he would keep the strategy a bit more hidden for his enemies. I know I would choose such a strategy. Maybe he let the world know his thoughts because he want the world to respect Iran - or rather fear them. I guess those two words hold the same quality for Iran.
Let us just for a moment believe that all Iran want, is respect. -Isn't that why the 9-11 has become a date of horror - because Isalmic people want respect and the world to stop the arroganse of USA? What about giving Iran more respect? You may say "they should earn our respect", well they do it in the way they know best; by terror and fear. And by acting more arrogant towards them, by bombing them, you give them an excuse to do what they relly want; delete Israel from the map.
USA has a responsibility to not be arrogant any longer. They must loose face, be humble and contribute to preserve the world as we know it. Let the islamic world know that you are humble and admit that you are not perfect. Maybe that's all they want from you? It is worth it when you can make sure that your grandchildren and their children can grow up.
21:45 Posted in Blog | Permalink | Comments (12) | Email this
Comments
Veldig bra, Øystein! Og godt å høre at det ikke bare er jeg som synes Bush burde jekke seg et par hakk... ;-)
Posted by: Sunniva N. | 07/05/2006
I must say that your comments to the American President are quite interesting and do carry some validity. Though I would like to make a statement as an American. Mr. Bush is by no means perfect and he does not pretend to be. I have heard him admit to his mistakes many times. It is important to remember that he is a human being just like you and me. The media will do anything to portry a story and slant things worse than they really are. Sometimes, we have to take things not so litteral. Just some food for thought.
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/05/2006
Thank you for your comment, anonymous. I am with you in what you say. I am not quite sure if you understand what I mean when I want Bush to admit that he is not perfect. I want to clarify that:
Bush - as a president - represent USA, and he is in many ways USA's voice and face to the world. And he can be quite arrogant when he point to other coutries as violators of human rights and speak nothing about what happens at Guantanamo. So I don't want him to admit to his personal errors or mistakes, but let the world know that he admits that not everything is perfect in his own country. Can you imagine how irritating it is for islamic people to hear all the time that USA is good and they are evil, that USA are right and they are wrong. What do you think they feel everytime USA is referred to as God's country. So if USA say to the world that they are no better than any other nation, I am convinced that the islamic world is satisfied. But if Iran and other Arab nations - in spite of this humble attitude from USA - continue to be hostile and use violence, a united world will condemn this. And the arab world will in the end be forced to stop the violence. This is what I believe.
What do you think?
Posted by: Øystein D | 09/05/2006
Thank you for your honesty reply. President Bush is truly one of the major voices in America, but not the sole voice. Our secretary of state, Condoliza Rice, is also a very influencial voice internationally. Both have verbally admitted to mistakes that have been made home and abroad on a variety of issues, including Gitmo. I can easily see how the President comes accross as to many individuals as arrogant and brash. Yet at the same time, both individuals will tell things just like it is. There is no suger coating anything, which is not always a bad thing. In fact, it is a trait to really be admired. There are no false pretenses.
Whatever you feel personally about the war, whether justified or not, President Bush is not against the Muslims or Arab people. The statistics of Islamic people in our country is unbelievable at the moment. If this is the case, why are they fleeting to our country for refuge? We have nothing against them at all. The President just wants injustice to stop and peace to reign in all countries. I will agree that not all tactics that have been used are the most beneficial and have caused division. I do not know from what medium you are hearing that the President is declaring that USA is good and they are evil, that USA are right and they are wrong. On numerous occasions, the President has clearly defined that he is not against the people - just their tactics of terrorism. One of the ways that we are showing that we are not against the people is by being diplomatic and working with other nations, United Nations, to instigate regulations that make us all safer and not using war as our first option. I have come to the conclusion that the Arab world may not like us - in fact a lot of countries do not like us......and some of it is truly our own fault. Though I do believe, that the world is not seeing a full picture, just a skewed image of what America truly is.
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/05/2006
Well said.
I have some arguments still, but I have to think through what you wrote. And I´m quite busy these days. I put down my thoughts when I get the time.
(I registered that I´m not the only one writing letter to Bush. Maybe Ahmadinejad was inspired by me) :)
Posted by: Øystein Dahl | 11/05/2006
Do you really believe that the Islamic world would accept any"humble" remarks by Bush or anyone for that matter? Does anything that Bush "say" justify the behaviour we see in the Arab world? So what is Norway doing about the burning of Norwegian flags in Syria? Are they running over there, humbling themselves appologizing for making some remarks and showing some caricatures in a newspaper? You need to take a step back and broaden your perspective on world events. It is NEVER a good idea to base your opinions and convictions on what you read in a newspaper. Especially not a Norwegian one. There is always more information that we do not have access to.
As far as the war goes, I do not believe anyone is satisfied with that. You must remember that the purpose of American troops to go there was to try and help the nation to find peace, especially within themselves. Maybe, America should just walk out and let them take over. Then when things went really bad there, that would also be the fault of America.
Posted by: anonymous 2 | 12/05/2006
I'll say you've got quite a debate on your site, my friend... And I read what they say, those anonymous guys, but I still agree more with you than with them... But those saying that there's an easy way out of any situations, they don't know what they're talking about. They be Americans, Arabs or just plain Norwegians... Things sure are complicated. There ain't no "abracadabra". Wish it was... *sigh*
Posted by: Sunniva N. | 13/05/2006
Hmm..
I shouldn`t do this now. It`s past midnight. But I am provoked to write something. I shall try to be brief. First I totally agree with Sunniva. The complexity of this conflict is greater that I can comprehend and my letter may appear as an easy answer to the problem.
No, anonymous 2, I do not think that humble remarks from Bush will solve everything. I am just making a point by what I say. Because respect and honour is at the core of Islam as far as I can see. In Norway we have heard about something called "honour murder" (or homocide), where a father can kill his daughter if she has had sexual relationship whith someone other than her husband or before marriage - to preserve the family's honour.
Anonymous 2 mentioned the Muhammed-drawings that ignited the Arab world. They saw it as someone spitting on everything they stood for. They saw it as someone deliberat disgracing their values. And we all could see what they were capable to do. Don't tell me that those people don't crave respect like noone I know! All they see is some arrogant Christian people excuse my expression shitting on all that they stand for. And they answer by violence. Off course shouldn't we tolerate this. Violence can never be defended.
And to anonymous 1: I don't think Bush's announcement of the nations in the axis of evil contributes to any dialogue and make those nations feel respected. Especially when they see USA as the hub of evil...
Posted by: Øystein D | 14/05/2006
To Øystein, what in the world are you really defending? Are you a muslim at heart. Your choice of words depicts an irrational anger that does not belong in a debate like this one. I am sure that the Arab world is craving respect, - but what are we to respect? The behaviour of muslims in the past decades, does not deserve any respect from me or anyone desiring world peace. A thought just ran through my head - W.W.J.D.? Have you seen these armbands around? It stands for What would Jesus do? I ask myself this,what would He do? That puts this debate where it really belongs - in the hands of the Father. Right now, neither you or I can do anything buy cry out to the Father for mankind everywhere. God loves the Muslims as well as Christians, though they do not love Him. And that is what we should do, but justify the behaviour we have been witnessing recently? I cannot do that.
As far as the American President is concerned, I look at him as a man in a place of authority that I as a Christian need to be praying for because his decisions shape the future of our world. We should be praying for all men in places of leadership. Even those in Arab countries. Because their decisions as well, will shape our future, and the future of our children.
Lastly, I must comment on your referring to9-11 as a day of horror. It was - how many innocent people lost their lives in the blink of an eye? And this was not a stop to the terror that has become ordinairy in our world- on the contrary, we are witnessing more and more of this type of "crying out for respect"
Posted by: Anonymous 2 | 14/05/2006
To anonymous 2: I've tried more than once in my life to make people understand that to e x p l a i n a person's or group's behavior and u n d e r s t a n d i n g why they act like they do by trying to see it from their point of view with their values and worldview, is NOT the same as j u s t i f y i n g and e x c u s i n g their behaviour. Please notice the difference. As far as I can see, Øystein isn't justifying any violent, terroristic and disrespectful behavior shown by anyone. He just tries to make us understand what's the origin of such behaviors... And he asks a rather important question about why we western peoples could not behave in a bit more worthy way. What kind of impression do we give the arabs who we want to win for the Kingdom of God, if we behave just as bad as them, making them quite paranoid, feeling that the Christian people are all against them? WWJD? I'm sure He would love them, respect them although they didn't deserve it, tell them the good news and THEN told them not to continue sinning... THAT'S the Jesus I know from the Bible... And as far as I know Øystein, he is no muslim neither by heart nor by acts :-)
Posted by: Sunniva N. | 14/05/2006
I am only responding to what I see on this blog. I am insulted when you say that we behave just as bad as them. That is not true. We can SAY alot, but it is what we DO that shows what truly rules our hearts. America, as far as I know has not yet willfully murdered thousands of people. In a war, unfortunately, there will be innocent casualities, but as you also should know Americans. have not purposely blown away thousands of innocent victims.
Read once again, What would Jesus Do, and who can actually make a difference in these world events?
Posted by: Anonymous 2 | 14/05/2006
Anonymous 2: Where did I make the statement that Americans behave just as bad as the Extreme Islamic terrorist?
I don't know where you are coming from at all when you start talking about armbands. Is it because I said the "S"-word? I am not saying condemning the Mohammed-drawings. I am not saying that we were shitting on them - intentionally. I merely said that's what they perceive... again, to make a point.
And what did Jesus really say? It is almost to radical to even utter, but I take a chance. It was something about turning the other cheek.
Posted by: Øystein D | 15/05/2006
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