Time For Obama To Talk With Al-Jazeera

Richard Grenell: The Administration Is Missing An Important And Easy Opportunity To Change Hearts And Minds In The Arab World

(CBS)  Richard Grenell served as the spokesman for the last four U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations: Zalmay Khalilzad, John Bolton, John Danforth and John Negroponte,

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Much has been said by the Obama Administration about reaching out to the Arab world and much was made of the President's sit-down interview with al-Arabiya Television, but speaking to al-Arabiya is nothing new for an American President, and their reach is far less.

President Bush, who sat with al-Arabiya several times for interviews, never sat down with al-Jazeera despite my urging. It was and still is my belief that there is no better way to bring the American message of democracy and hope to 200 million Arab households than to speak directly and unfiltered to the network they are watching.

President Obama should follow the lead of all four of the Bush administrations' U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations and speak directly to these millions of Arab households by sitting down for an on-the-record interview with al-Jazeera Television.

Although the most popular Arab network has had its share of bias problems, President Obama is missing an important and easy opportunity to change the hearts and minds of the majority of the Arab world. The Pentagon and the Senate Armed Services Committee have issued reports recently urging better global strategic communications. And the Department of State is constantly looking for ways to counter the propaganda put forth by militants in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Additionally, millions of tax payer dollars are being spent to counter such rumors. But the best way and the cheapest way to speak directly to the people most affected is being ignored.

While President Obama has shown to be incredibly thin-skinned when criticized by reporters and networks that scrutinize his policies (see Fox News) he should nevertheless find a way to sit down for a lively but worthy conversation with an al-Jazeera reporter.

While the interview will not be an easy one, my eight years of experience with a plethora of al-Jazeera journalists is that they will be cordial and respectful but tough. It would undoubtedly be the best way to get in to the living room of a typical Arab family and make a case for freedom and democracy - and it would do so 200 million times over.

Al-Jazeera has revolutionized Arab TV in the 12 years they have existed. While the Arab public used to watch their dictators' activities only through the official state-sponsored television channels, they now have alternative news sources and independent channels. Al-Jazeera has become the voice of the Arab public. We can argue all day with editorial decisions from our news sources or boycott media with whom we disagree, but ignoring the channel with the largest target audience we need to reach is a terrible mistake.

The Republican Ambassadors to the United Nations certainly did not agree with every decision the editors at al-Jazeera made (just as with MSNBC or Fox News), but the Ambassadors realized the reach of al-Jazeera was unmatched in the Arab world. While our current American politicians are responsible for managing multiple conflicts and making decisions about how to spend billions of dollars that greatly effect thousands of lives in the region, it is ridiculous to miss an opportunity to speak for free to the millions of people that can make a difference in how those conflicts will be solved.

[kerribrad]

I think Ric is right on. Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer. This has been the rule of thumb for ages. It is smart in my opinion to keep one step ahead at all times. One day maybe Obama will stop disappointing me. I hope it is soon.

[mjomcguire]

Good work Richard! The President would do well to heed your advice....

[Jim_Westcott]

Rick Grenell makes the correct assessment. The pen -- in this case the electronic media -- is always mightier than the sword. In the long run, freedom of expression will change the day and better secure our lands. I hope all future administrations follow this lead.

[OregonJames]

I would support the president speaking with the devil himself if it would help to bring our nation to peace with the rest of the world. Unfortunately there are just too many republican kooks here in America that think a US president would sully the reputation of our country if he were to "stoop so low " as to talk with someone "not as good as we are." It would just create another firestorm of controversy with all the wingnuts.

[pwilcox68]

I think it would be a good idea, as long as al Jazzera can be fair and open-minded. It is important that their people get to hear what our President has to say. Perhaps, he can make a difference with their government.

[smac761]

He would sooner sit with them than Fox News. When he does, here comes more apologies for America. Sick.

[klein_um]

I think Ric has a good point. However, I believe that President Obama is intelligent and incredibly well informed regarding international policy. I think he will talk to Al Jazzera when the timing is right.

[edbinnie]

What I don't understand is how does America plan to get out a positive message to the rest of the world? Just as we are skeptical of state funded media in asia and the middle east, so too is the rest of the world, especially when it comes to fox and cnn. If you want to get a message across, you have to go to the source that people are watching, not just the one that promises to be nice and cuddly. Asia and the middle east don't trust the US, because their media (and past foreign policy nightmares like funding the Taliban, Korea, Vietnam ...) are the only proof they have.
If Al-Jazeera are going to have him, why wouldn't you?
I'd rather that than fund Obama's trip to China, only to have Chinese government turning off their media coverage!

[martylinsky]

Grenell is right, of course. There is no way the West can figure out how to manage in the new world order without talking to the people and listening to the responses.....and Grenell's point is especially powerful coming from a former spokesperson for Republican administrations who has "been there" on tghe firing line.

[NewsCritic01]

Nice to see a fresh perspective...

[ToolMangler1]

Richard Grenell leans so far to the right that he almost falls on his ear.
"While President Obama has shown to be incredibly thin-skinned when criticized by reporters and networks that scrutinize his policies (see Fox News)"

How can you objectively 'report' the news when you fill it with your 'viewpoint'. News is news, nothing else.