"Obama Effect" On Muslim World Falling As Terrorism Rises

A new report from the American Security Project, "Are We Winning? Measuring Progress in the War on Terror: An Interim Update", outlines troubling global trends that bode ill for champions of the current US "war on terror" counterterrorism policy. Namely, the report discusses the "explosive growth in Islamist violence in 2008" and a "dampening of the initial 'Obama effect' in the Muslim world." The report also highlights the emergence of new terrorism "hot spots" in Russia and the Philippines, as well as a continuation of violence in other extant "hot spots," including Somalia and Pakistan.

With these trends and new developments in mind, the report expresses concern for global terrorism's trajectory going forth into 2009, given the global financial crisis. Though the Mideast and Northern Africa are somewhat insulated from Western financial vagaries, a number of indirect economic factors can still impact the political and economic stability of certain states in the region.

As for the sanguinely viewed "Obama Effect" on the Muslim World, the report laments that US approval dropped following the Israeli-Gaza incursion earlier this year. And, notably, the report states that, "Unfortunately, only 21% of Afghans believe that an Obama presidency will make a positive difference in their country, compared to 16%, who think it will make things worse." However, more hopeful data is also cited that indicates America's tarnished record from the past eight years is not beyond repair. Thus, the "Obama Effect" is not an outrightly delusional mis-perception, but there is a dearth of evidence to suggest it has yet to have any meaningful impact in the Muslim world.

Read the full report here:

Are We Winning? Measuring Progress in the War on Terror: An Interim Update - Free Legal Forms

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Comments

[Ergon]

In the meantime, Gaza is starving: http://uruknet.info/?p=m54010&hd=&size=1&l=e

[Mosby12]

Get with the program. The Obama administration has the experience and judgement to deal with terrorism and world politics. We need to be patient... these people will come around. They really just want to be our friends. Why shouldn't all nations including those who would create man-made disasters not have nuclear capability. Who do we think we are anyway? Only when the Taliban are respected and treated fairly will there be true peace in the world. Besides, all of this unrest is Bush's fault for opening Gitmo!!

[GZLives]

Delusion is alive and well with posts here continuing to reflect the Left worldview that terror comes from the actions of the west and if only the west would change its behavior, its foreign policy then all would change.
That, is delusional.
Perhaps its just too much like something out of the Arabian Nights to accept there really is something called Jihad out there. Maybe that's why none here it seems dare place the responsibility for terror where it belongs. A large part of Islam is teaching Jihad and the obligation to wage it as a war and not as a personal inner struggle which had been the former interpretation. But here in the west its just not politically correct to speak up about this. Ask Geert Wilders, or Ayaan Hirsi Ali or any of the handful of Muslims who continue to talk about this amd warn the west ... but here on HuffPo as usual, its all the fault of US foreign policy. The rise of terror in Thailand, Philippines and Russia is US foreign policy? No ... its Islamic Jihad and sooner or later the rest of you will have to wake up and fight this or suffer dire consequences from your continued state of denial and self righteousness

[Kise S.]

what ever they are doing its not jihad by any means have you ever read the Quran or teach of Muhammad (PBUH) ? of course not

Because the first thing you will notice in Muhammad (PBUH) teaching is that you never ever kill a woman, kids, old people, destroy towns, cut trees, or even kill animals.

But i think you just want to believe what you want to believe

[Ergon]

Go duct (tape) yourself, then.

[loki]

I would not be surprised if sometime in the future, history tells us much of the terror during the Obama presidency was financial backed by and promoted by high ranking Neo Con republicans as an attempt to discredit and ruin his presidency so they can attempt to take back the white house.

[Banjoplayer]

I always suspected this happened in 1980 with the Iran hostage situation which resulted in the overwhelming defeat of Carter.

A little too coincidental for me that the embassy staff was released the day of Reagan's inauguration.

[FranklinS]

The Muslim world is realizing what Americans can't admit. Mr. Obama is merely a cruel deception.
He's a reprieve from GWB in much the same way that Clinton brought relief from Poppy.
American foreign policy will continue to create more enemies than it can kill, much as it was meant to.

[chaos4700]

And meanwhile American domestic policy continues to atrophy and rot away from within. I fear for the United States. I think for the first time since the Civil War, we're facing a truly existential threat.

[discourse jockey]

Agree. The worst part is that the money elite is simply too powerful and will never let go unless by brute force. But patience, folks. We needed Obama if only to reassure ourselves that our two-party "democracy" is really shipwrecked. Next time, the opposition by the many will take place outside of the puppet democracy.

[Gumby123]

But but but Obama was going to make everything nice with rainbows and unicorns!

Hope? Change? not so much

[discourse jockey]

Strawman. Obama is still lightyears ahead of Bush who made everything bad, with bombs and Cheney and Rove and the biggest increase in national debt and war and corruption and disgrace and his language skills etc etc etc.

[chaos4700]

Yeah, but until Obama actually reduces the deficit, ends the wars, takes the "enemy combatants" out of the legal limbo they're still in, and stops giving free jet fuel and bombs to Israel... he's just talk.

[henryberry]

This is the first time I've heard the term "Obama effect." I hadn't noticed any, unless you want to call the noticeable and obviously coordinated increase in violence in Iraq the "Obama effect." What is being referred to in the post as such an effect, I suppose, are some much-publicized appearances of Obama and related verbal overtures during his recent European and Middle Eastern excursion. And in repsonse to this, there were some kind or hopeful words in return as seen in some following polls or brief interviews with individuals in varied Middle Eastern countries. How this is measurable or determined in any way to amount to an "effect" is mysterious. In any event, it is not surprising that an "Obama effect" is falling because there never was one. There was only a rush of news coverage on his overtures to the Muslim world. And there will not be an "Obama effect" because there is basically no change in the U.S. position toward Irag and Afghanistan or in involvement or plans in either of these countries. Plans for withdrawal from Iraq will likely be stretched out or shelved with the current increase in the violence.