U.S. President Donald Trump called on leaders of Middle East to combat a “crisis of Islamic extremism” emanating from the region, casting the fight against terrorism as a “battle between good and evil”, not a clash between the West and Islam.
Mr. Trump’s address on Sunday was the centrepiece of his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, his first stop overseas as President. During a meeting of more than 50 Arab and Muslim leaders, he sought to chart a new course for America’s role in the region, one aimed squarely on rooting out terrorism, with less focus on promoting human rights and democratic reforms.
“We are not here to lecture we are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship,” Mr. Trump said, speaking in an ornate, multi-chandeliered room. “Instead, we are here to offer partnership based on shared interests and values to pursue a better future for us all.”
Even as the President pledged to work alongside Middle Eastern nations, he put the onus for combating terrorism on the region.
Bellowing into the microphone, he implored Muslim leaders to aggressively fight extremists — “Drive them out of your places of worship. Drive them out of your communities.”
The President has been enthusiastically embraced in Riyadh, where the ruling royal family has welcomed his tougher stance on Iran, its regional foe. Sitting alongside Mr. Trump, Saudi King Salman declared: “The Iranian regime has been the spearhead of global terrorism.”
Mr. Trump’s welcome in the region was also put on display during a series of individual meetings with Arab leaders. He praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, telling him: “You have done a tremendous job under trying circumstances.” Mr. Trump promised to schedule a trip to Egypt soon, and he singled out the Egyptian’s choice of footwear, a pair of shiny black shoes. “Love your shoes. Boy, those shoes,” he said.
Reinforcing his theme of U.S. economic deals, the U.S. President told Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani they would discuss “lots of beautiful military equipment because nobody makes it like the United States”.
To Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Mr. Trump declared that the two nations had a lot in common and “there won't be strain with this administration”. The King lauded the relationship and said it had led to “great stability in the region and prosperity”.
And in a meeting with the emir of Kuwait, Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Mr. Trump noted Kuwait bought large amounts of U.S. military equipment. The Kuwaiti leader referred to Mr. Trump as “my brother”.
Welcome escape
For Mr. Trump, the visit has been a welcome escape from the crush of controversies that have consumed his administration in recent weeks. He’s been besieged by a series of revelations about the ongoing federal investigation into his campaign’s possible ties to Russia and his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing the Russia probe.
The President’s trip to Saudi Arabia also served as something of a reset with the region following his presidential campaign, which was frequently punctured by bouts of anti-Islamic rhetoric. He once mused that he thought “Islam hates us”.
And only a week after taking office, he signed an executive order to ban immigrants from seven countries Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen from entering the U.S., a decision that sparked widespread protests at the nation’s airports and demonstrations outside the White House.
That ban was blocked by courts. A second order, which dropped Iraq from the list, is tied up in federal court and the federal government is appealing.
But on Sunday, Mr. Trump was full of praise for the Muslim world’s history and culture. He declared Islam “one of the world’s great faiths”.
White House officials said they considered Mr. Trump’s address to be a counterweight to President Barack Obama’s debut speech to the Muslim world in 2009 in Cairo. Mr. Obama called for understanding and acknowledged some of America’s missteps in the region.
That speech was denounced by many Republicans and criticised by a number of the U.S.’ Middle East allies as being a sort of apology.
