David Miliband

Obama's Cairo speech

There has been a lot of comment on President Obama's outstanding Cairo speech.  But one of the most interesting aspects was the contrast between what he had to say and the speeches this week of Iran's Supreme Leader and President. Obama talked about looking to the future rather than living in the past, and making sure that the West and Islam recognise their shared common principles. 

By contrast, Khamenei used his speech to refer to Israel as a 'cancerous tumour', and Ahmadinejad called the Holocaust a 'deception'.  

The US, not just a superpower but a vibrant and diverse democracy, is now led by one of the most eloquent and thoughtful leaders this young century has produced. The US people can be proud, and optimistic.  Iran, which ought to be playing a full role in the community of nations, has leaders who keep it in isolation by endlessly wallowing in hatred. Its people deserve better.

Posted at 15:33 05 June 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[8]

Forging coalitions with the Muslim world

President Obama said a few weeks ago: "America is not and never will be at war with Islam".  Next month he will address this theme again in a landmark speech in Cairo.  The fact that he feels the need to say this, and the positive reception he has got for doing so, reveals the depth of division and distrust towards the West that has emerged since 9/11. 
 
Britain has historical baggage in the Muslim world.  We have to overcome it.  In the majority of our British Muslim citizens, we have an enormous resource, combining  the values that bind Britain together as a liberal democracy, with their particular religious identity.  And in that merging of identities are valuable lessons as we forge coalitions in the Muslim world.  
 
I will be giving a speech later today which will explore this theme.  It will set out why I think we need to understand the Muslim world better, and work with Muslim majority countries in new ways.  There are no easy cases.  But to avoid grappling with these issues is irresponsible. 

It is not good enough to categorise people as ’moderates’ or 'extremists' (a trap I have sometimes fallen into).  But there is a divide between those committed to politics and those who rely on violence.  If we respect those committed to politics, support the application of our own democratic values and help tackle the big grievances, including over Palestine, we can forge a new coalition and win consent. 

Resources: 

Posted at 11:50 21 May 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[12]

Mandela / Obama

The one person more popular globally than Barack Obama may be former President Mandela. It seems that a South African survey puts the two of them top of a chatroom chart. Who says youth are not political?

Posted at 11:19 19 May 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

US-Turkey-EU

Turkey was a good additional stop on President Obama's tour that started in London last week. And his plain speaking about the geo-politics of Turkish entry into the EU absolutely right. Europe does indeed have to come to its own view, but that does not stop others saying how they see it.

No one says Turkey is ready to join today; its own reforms and modernisation will take some time. But the reforms are more likely to happen with the galvanising prospect of EU entry that would benefit the EU as well a  Turkey. Turkey has choices. Its pivotal geographical, ideological and political/theological location means that it can  be an independent player or add value to the alliances it joins. When I visit Turkey in June, I will be remaking the case for Turkish entry from a British and European perspective.  

Posted at 17:51 08 April 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[10]

Nuclear Momentum

It's ironic that the day of a North Korean rocket launch might be remembered in future for President Obama's embrace of the long term goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. But that is possible. I have always thought that the problem with multilateral disarmament is that people believed it was an excuse for not disarming. In fact it is the best way to disarm.

As the Prime Minister set out in his speech last month the UK has, and will continue to, take a forward position in this process. It's the only way to prevent our demands for non proliferation, e.g. by North Korea, being undermined by allegations of hypocrisy.

Posted at 12:22 08 April 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Keep Hope Alive

Rev Jesse Jackson is visiting the UK and drawing large crowds. I saw him this morning to discuss his work with the Equanomics foundation , but also to understand his view now on the meaning of Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential election. I told him that the sight of him in the crowd at Chicago's Grant Park with tears streaming down his face on November 4th had been striking for many people.

He said that he saw the Obama phenomenon of 2008 as the 54th lap of a race started by the landmark civil rights supreme court decision of Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954. He said Dr King would have been proud - and looking at the next step, because there is more to be done.

Posted at 18:22 26 March 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[3]

Nowruz Greeting

President Obama's message to the Iranian people was strong on rights, but also responsibilities. It was positive without missing the point about regime actions, signalling the prospect of a very different relationship with the Islamic Republic, while appealing to common hopes of people. It was an outstretched hand - as promised.

The initial reaction from Supreme Leader Khamenei arrived yesterday. It suggests that he has not yet realised that the game has changed. Inveighing against the Great Satan is yesterday's headline. People in the Middle East and further afield want something different.

Posted at 14:18 23 March 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[3]

Fundamental change of mission

Baghdad was a good place to mark President Obama's announcements on Iraq troop withdrawal.  His announcement follows the same agreed pattern as that adopted by the UK: withdrawal of combat troops to fundamentally change the mission to one of training and mentoring. His announcement combines troop withdrawal with political commitment.  I said yesterday in Baghdad that President Obama was proceeding with care and common sense.  The commitment until August 2010 allows for critical US support through the National elections early next year. Then Iraqis will have their own future in their own hands.

Posted at 22:06 27 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[1]

Lebanon: Looking Forward Not Back

14 February 2009 marked the fourth anniversary of the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 other innocents. Every year since the people of Lebanon have marked the anniversary of his assassination with a mass rally upholding Lebanon's right to independence and justice. This year was no exception.  

But this year the international community can be proud of its response:  on 1 March the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague will begin working to try the perpetrators. As Bill Rammell made clear in our official statement, the UK is strongly committed to supporting Lebanon. Both in maintaining practical support for the Tribunal; and in helping Lebanon reinforce its independence by ensuring that parliamentary elections scheduled for June are free, fair and peaceful. 

I am glad that President Obama has also made clear the new US Administration's commitment to support Lebanon. The country deserves international support in the preservation of its fragile national unity, which is so important for regional stability. 

Posted at 11:06 25 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[1]

Reviewing the Mission

I am on my fourth visit to Afghanistan.  This country of extreme poverty and danger now has 41 nations contributing military support to the government - I was told Italy added 500 troops today, and President Obama  announced 17 000 more. Over sixty are contributing to the civil effort - aid, economic development, social and governmental capacity.

I flew into Lashkar Gah on Tuesday.  This is the heart of the Helmand Valley, one of the targets of the insurgency, home of the integrated civilian/military headquarters of British operations in the South.  The announcement of further deaths of British soldiers brings home the sacrifice and the bravery of what is being done here.  Every single person I talked to said that without outside help the place and the government would be overrun.  The Dutch Commander of the whole of the coalition's effort in the South told me that people underestimated the scale of what was being achieved by the intelligence and dedication of British troops.  And the relief and turnaround of Nad Ali  is a major achievement.

I have been asked if American reinforcements are a sign of failure.  This is rubbish.  They are a sign of the scale of what is being done and its importance. Americans cleared Garmsir where I walked through the bazaar in November and now British troops work with the Afghan National Army.  British troops are not in competition with American troops; they are working together with Afghan troops in competition/combat with a determined insurgency that is umbilically linked to the drugs trade.

Our objectives have always been clear: to prevent Al Qaeda re-inserting itself, to hold back the insurgency and to build Afghan capacity to defend themselves.  We don't want to be here in combat operations any longer than it takes to stand up the Afghan force.  That is the heart of the American review and we are contributing to it.

Posted at 13:13 19 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[1]

Tackling Terrorism

President Obama's interview on  Al Arabiya  sets out in clear terms the foundation of his Administration's approach to the Muslim world(s). 

The watchwords are clear: respect for difference, smart use of power, building a coalition  for  social change. The Prime Minister and I have made similar arguments.  Roger Cohen's article in the New  York  Times on Thursday  provides good context

Posted at 14:27 30 January 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Guantanamo

President Obama's formal announcement of the decision to close Guantanamo  is welcome. He has spoken in strong terms about the need to combine high ideals with strong policy. The British position has been to do our bit.

We have taken back all nine British nationals from Guantanamo, and said we are ready to take back six other former legal British residents, four of whom are back. We therefore have good and clear experience of the relevant security considerations and will feed them into European thinking.

Posted at 17:44 27 January 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[8]

Simple task

This article by Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski  puts the Middle East centre stage for the new Obama administration.  It is worth reading.  They are basically right.

Posted at 22:03 06 December 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[3]

Karadzic: joy or relief?

I  have been reading  some of the testimonials from the relatives of victims of genocide in Bosnia.  There have been some expressions of joy but the pain has been stronger.  Genocide is rightly not a term used lightly - nor is Richard Holbrooke's phrase about Karadzic "the Osama  Bin Laden of the western Balkans", which has not provoked adverse comment - but when perhaps  200 000 are murdered and 2 million displaced in a small country it is right.  The reports have reminded people that Karadzic was a poet - and psychologist to the Red Star Belgrade football team.   His arrest sends an important signal at an important time.

115 people have been tried in the International Criminal Tribunal on the former Yugoslavia, with 56 convictions.  A small number are still on the run, including Ratko Mladic.  But the Serbian government have followed through on their election promise and deserve congratulation.  Serbs have voted twice in Presidential and parliamentary elections for European/western oriented governments.  They deserve congratulation too for resisting the blandishments of backward looking Serb nationalism.

And the Court has shown it does not go away.  This is important more generally.  It applies to the ICC - International Criminal Court - which has been pursuing those alleged to have been guilty of war crimes in Darfur.  The Sudanese government has so far refused to engage with the court, but I tried to make clear in my visit to Khartoum that the  Court would not go away if the government refused to engage.  The ruling National Congress Party in Sudan still has to decide what to do; I hope they get the message from  The Hague.

Posted at 16:59 24 July 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[25]