Regarding America's reputation it has raised serious doubts and question marks regarding the protection of civil liberties and freedom of worship

Beirut - Taqrib News Agency (TNA) - Ten years ago, the Sept 11 attacks occurred. These attacks took place during the first term of the Bush administration, which was basically an alliance between right wing evangelical Christians and Zionists.
 
In his memoirs, George W Bush actually says the war on terror is ideological in its nature. And what brings the right wing evangelical Christians and Zionists together is unquestioned support for "Israel" and its right to land of the Palestinians. Along with this ideological approach Muslims began to be singled out in the US and even other western countries as potential "terrorists".

Unfortunately this phenomenon still continues today. American Muslims who I speak to still complain about being singled out by authorities for questioning and interrogation and thorough inspections at US airports. Earlier this year a congressman named Peter King even held hearings on the supposed radicalization of the Muslim community in America and on the fact that this community was not cooperating with law enforcement agencies. All of this has given rise to "Islamophobia", a term which casts Muslims as brutal savages who are out to kill non-Muslims.

Due to the fact that Islam was virtually unknown to most American and westerners this stereotyping actually succeeded initially in affecting the US and western public opinion. I will go this issue later on but first I would like to pose a question: What has the Islamophobia phenomenon done for America's reputation and particularly what has it done for its stance in the Middle East?

Regarding America's reputation it has raised serious doubts and question marks regarding the protection of civil liberties and freedom of worship. Indeed there have even been allegations of police spying on Muslim communities and mosques in the US. More importantly it has severely damaged US interests in the region. Before the Sept 11 attacks the US was viewed as a biased country in favor of "Israel". But Islamophobia (which is a product of western policy making) only reinforced the conviction amongst the Muslim masses that the US was an anti- Islamic "Israeli" ally and an "enemy".

What further strengthened this conviction was the wars which were launched by the Bush administration in the aftermath of Sept 11 which led to the killings of so many Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Not to mention the wounded and the abuse of prisoners). This led to an unprecedented level of hatred not only towards the US but also its regional allies (one of whom was Egypt's Hosni Mubarak who was ousted by a popular revolution and is now undergoing trial).US president Barack Obama has not done much to address this situation with anti-American sentiments still running high in the Muslim world. (This can be heard in some slogans of the Muslim youth who are demanding change).

This brings me back to point of public opinion. Only the public can change the way the west is perceived in the Middle East. As I stated above the American public was basically introduced to Islam following the Sept 11 atrocities. (This is mainly because of the control pro-"Israelis'" have on American media). However there are positive signs that the once anti Islamic public opinion is gradually changing.

This is due to a number of factors such as the activities of the younger generation of American Muslims who, unlike their elders have been raised in the US society and thus are able to blend in with this society and make their opinions heard. This has affected the way some Americans perceive Islam. Another factor is the Arab spring. When westerners see Muslims on TV rising against dictatorships and oppression it proves they are not savages and they share the normal aspirations of any other people.

A third factor ironically is the American troops being sent to Muslim countries for battle, that has led many Americans to show an interest in a region where their fellow countrymen and sons and daughters are being sent. Most Americans knew nothing of this region before and have thus developed a better understanding of this region, its people and their beliefs.

In the end of course there is still a long way to go before this public opinion can have a tangible affect. (The problem of pro "Israeli" media coverage for example still exists). And the most vital issue remains the Arab "Israeli" conflict. For the American reputation in the region to really change the US public must rise against America's "unbreakable bond with "Israel"" which is costing US lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and more money from US taxpayers in the midst of a financial crisis.