SHARIA' LAW FACULTY PRAISE THE "RELIGION IN AMERICA" IV PROGRAM, JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 14, 2004

UNCLAS AMMAN 001730

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR PDAS LAROCCO, U/S TUTWILER, A/S HARRISON, NEA
AROMANOWSKI, ECA/PE/V/G/N; FOR LMOODY AND RREMEIKA, NEA/PPD
DBENZE; NEA/PD FOR QUINN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP SCUL KPAO OEXC JO
SUBJECT: SHARIA' LAW FACULTY PRAISE THE "RELIGION IN
AMERICA" IV PROGRAM, JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 14, 2004



1. Summary. Ambassador Gnehm and PA met on Feb. 25 with
three Sharia' Law graduate students who also assist in the
mosques in Ma'an, Mafraq and the outskirts of Amman. A
cleric from Ma'an -- an area known for its Salafi and gun-
running ties to Saudi Arabia-- told us that immediately on
returning he held a Khutba after Friday prayers, saying that
"the spirit of Islam" was to be found everywhere among the
America and calling for a distinction between the
objectionable American foreign policies and the ordinary
citizens of the United States. "I was one of the toughest
preachers against America and everything American," he said,
so people were astonished by my words. There was so much
talk in Ma'an about my description of America that the local
high school invited me to give a talk on the secret behind
America's success as a society."

The other two part-time preachers said that they too had
been besieged by people wanting to hear their impressions of
America -- as men of religion. One of them said that he
gave a sermon to 2,000 in which he spoke of his warm
reception in America by Christians and Jews eager to learn
about Islam first-hand. End Summary

-More Dialogue Wanted


2. Though the Sharia' Law students strongly denounced U.S.
policy in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they
said that their view of American society and culture had
changed radically as a result of their visit. They urged us
to open up more channels for them to communicate with
Americans, especially Christians and Jews, in order to
conduct a dialogue about common religious values. The
returned IVs offered to brief outgoing IVs to allay their
fears about their reception in America. They also
encouraged us to hold regular meetings for the returned IVs
to maintain the linkages, something we will make every
effort to do. For example, Ambassador Gnehm has hosted
iftars for this group and other exchange alumni over the
past two years. Secondly, the Muslim clerics described a
powerful thirst for more direct contact and credible
information about Americans among their conservative Islamic
communities. PA hopes to enroll several of these
participants in our ALC's English classes to prepare them
for possible academic exchanges, and to conduct more
programs with this important, religiously conservative
audience.

A Challenging Program, but Worth It


3. Over the years, the Religion in America IV has not been
always easy to administer, largely because of the
conservative Islamic orientation of many of the
participants. Nevertheless, here in Jordan it is one of our
most effective means of challenging stereotypes about
American society, religion and culture among a large segment
of religiously conservative youth.

Our special thanks and greetings from the IVs to escorts
Apkar Hagopian and Mohamed Shaheen. Our deep appreciation
as well to Robin Remeika and the Academy of Educational
Development who managed this program through some very rough
spots. In our opinion, the impact on these three people and
their communities made it very worthwhile.

Hale