U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project

Violent extremism in the name of Islam poses a serious security threat to the United States. Yet the much-publicized divide between the U.S. and the Muslim world is not as deep or irreconcilable as many believe.

On Wednesday, September 24th, 2008, the U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project released the Report of its Leadership Group. The Report presents the first senior, bipartisan and interfaith U.S. leadership consensus on a comprehensive approach to improving U.S.-Muslim relations. Moving beyond current deadlocked debates, the Leadership Group has crafted a multi-faceted strategy to enhance U.S. and international security.

The Report is titled Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World. It represents the consensus of an exceptionally diverse, senior, bipartisan and inter-faith group of 34 American leaders who have worked together over the last 18 months. Their work was supported by Search for Common Ground and CBI, two organizations that specialize in building consensus on controversial public issues. CBI Managing Director David Fairman is the primary author of the Leadership Group Report.

The Report was released immediately before the Presidential candidates’ September 26th foreign policy debate. It includes a detailed Call to Action for the next President. It also provides a great deal of fresh thinking on specific challenges in U.S.-Muslim relations, moving beyond current deadlocked debates.  

What American leaders are saying about Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World:

Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State; Principal, The Albright Group LLC

“Few challenges matter more than reducing distrust and misunderstanding between the United States and people living in Muslim majority states. This timely report is a groundbreaking, stereotype-shattering and thought-provoking contribution to that essential cause.”

 
General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC (ret.)

"This is an exceptional and important report that is a must read for all those Americans involved in policy development, operational planning, and understanding of this critical part of our global society."

 
Richard Land, President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention; Member, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

“This initiative is a serious, comprehensive, bi-partisan effort that seeks to address a critical and dangerous problem: The world Muslim community misunderstands Americans and Americans misunderstand them. This initiative lays out a detailed and comprehensive plan to vastly decrease that misunderstanding through a multi-faceted approach that will build constructive bridges of mutual understanding between Americans and the Muslim world."

 
Ingrid Mattson, President, The Islamic Society of North America; Professor of Islamic Studies, Director of Islamic Chaplaincy, and Director, Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Hartford Seminary

“It is a sign of great hope that the Leadership Group, despite having substantial differences over policies and politics, was able to come together to develop this report. This was made possible by a shared belief that the vital interests of the American people need not, and must not, conflict with core American values affirming the dignity of all people and their right to freedom and self-determination. This is a message that the mainstream majority in the Muslim world will surely welcome, and it will help them in their desire to improve relations between their people and the United States.”