Obama has failed to engage Muslims

As US President Barack Obama marks one year in office today, Gulf News readers say he has failed to sufficiently engage Muslims.

"Obama has been treated more like a celebrity," Asma Abdul Rahman Ali Ba Hassan has said.

"He is a very good speaker, but he hasn't lived up to expectations," she said.

Despite his moving speech in Cairo, on his first visit to the Arab world, there have been no significant changes in Palestine.

The Emirati who works in marketing and communications said: "Just addressing the topic is not enough. Make Israelis give the Palestinians a fair deal."

Faruk Bhagani, a Pakistani-American, said Obama inherited a lot of problems from the previous administration. "Given the situation, he has made the right moves in the right directions," he said.

But the outreach efforts towards the Muslim world have not been progressive or sweeping, the managing director of a private company said.

"He needs to become more decisive more quickly."

Bhagani also said Obama must take a more aggressive attitude towards job creation in the US.

Preeta Reghunath, an Indian doctor, said the world placed a heavy burden of expectation on Obama after his historic journey to the White House.

"Maybe we should be giving him more time," she said.

However, she hoped Obama would lead the way in the "peace process" as he has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mumtaz Younus, an American engineer based in Sharjah, felt Obama lacks political support in the US.

"The opposition is always on the attack and Obama is always on the defensive." Regarding the economy, Younus said the President's stimulus strategy is a temporary solution. "I don't have much hope Obama can achieve the goals he set out with," he said. "But I wish him the best."