White House: NASA Isn't For Muslim Outreach

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010, before the House Science and Technology Committee hearing on NASA's fiscal 2011 budget.

/ AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The White House on Monday denied that NASA's chief goal is to reach out to the Muslim world - something that NASA Administrator Charles Bolden recently suggested.

In an interview with Middle Eastern satellite news station Al Jazeera, Bolden said one of his "foremost" charges from President Obama as NASA administrator is to "find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with predominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering."

Asked about Bolden's remarks, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today, "That was not his task, and that's not the task of NASA."

Conservative commentators were outraged over Bolden's remarks.

The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer said on Fox News, "This is a new height in fatuousness. NASA was established to get America into space and to keep us there. This idea of to feel good about their past scientific achievements, it's the worst combination of group therapy, psychobabble, imperial condescension, and adolescent diplomacy."

The conservative Washington Times argued in an editorial that the U.S. would have nothing to gain from NASA outreach to Muslim nations.

"If anything, America should be discouraging Middle East space programs," the editorial said. "Islam's meager contribution to human technological advancement is no accident."

Bolden made similar remarks earlier this year. In February, he told a group of engineering students about initiatives to connect with countries that do not have established space programs and help them conduct science missions, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

"We really like Indonesia because the State Department, the Department of Education [and] other agencies in the U.S. are reaching out to Indonesia as the largest Muslim nation in the world. We would love to establish partners there," Bolden reportedly said.

[trefbhe]

Yes, we know that the Arabs preserved much of the knowledge of the classical world. We know that in 1000 AD Baghdad was the center of western thought, while Paris and Rome were mostly huts. At the time, my ancestors were mainly employed in painting themselves blue and howling at the full moon. We know all this.

So what?

That is known as Ancient History. Now NASA is supposed to waste its time making condescending, paternalistic overtures to Middle Eastern moslems?

"Gosh, we know you haven't done much in science and technology for the past 500 years, but we would not want that to cause you to have low self esteem."

So they sat on their hands while we did all the work. Why is this our problem? What does it have to do with NASA? Why would it become NASA's "foremost" priority?

Besides, I don't think Obamatherapy is going to do most middle eastern moslem nations a whole lot of good. What they really need is some tough love ala R. Lee Ermey:

"Good Morning, 'LADIES'!!!! ON YOUR FEET!!! Welcome To The !@#$%?! 21ST CENTTURY!!! It's Time To WAKE UP And Get Yourselves Some $!#@&^!!*! TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE!!!!"

I hereby nominate Gunny for NASA Administrator.

ObamaTrek: "To Boldenly Go ... nowhere."

[whosaid1]

So,...who to believe ? Obama and Gibbs,....or this Distinguished, Decorated retired Two-Star General. Does anyone (who served) HONESTLY believe "the General" did not understand the mission given to him by the President ??!! What a joke....Gibbs and "his boss" haven't a "good record" on the truth so far....why would this be any different??

[Perish1]

Oh! The guy really did say that!

I had heard something about it and how that crazy liar Rush Limbaugh was just making up wild accusations!

I guess Rush was telling the truth again. As usual, no matter how goofy it sounds. Hell, I thought he was making it up.

[alanrobisch]

It was on fox. He said it to al jazeera. Idiocy lives

[wfw3536]

How sad that Obama has reduced NASA to such a poor organization where we have to beg the Russians for a ride into space. Obama's new goal is now to forget about space for 30 years. We use to be leaders in space and soon we will be followers of other countries into space. I am also tired of Obama's reason that we do not have enough money, when you look at how much of the stimulus 870 billion has been wasted.

[6591Hou]

Charles Bolden just got thrown under the bus.

[consh8theusa]

Yes "Lies are everywhere. Corruption" and it's mostly in the right wing so Remember in November, "Be For Something Not Against Everything" - vote Democrat.

[Lifeson2112]

Yes vote Democrat. Usher in the new world order of socialism. The right wing has its problems, but its nowhere nearly as bad off as the left. You're a fool if you vote for another democrat after what they've been pushing for that last few years.

[nottellin1]

As long as we vote no incumbants, party is irrelevant.

[Lifeson2112]

This story scares me. NASA shouldn't be doing anything even remotely releated to Muslim outreach. And Obama should never had ordered it to be done. If he didn't order it, then he is an incompetent who picked someone obviously unqualified to head up NASA of all things! This joke of an administration just gets worse and worse. Lies are everywhere. Corruption. How sad. Remember in November.