June 26, 2009
Posted: June 26th, 2009 01:26 PM ET

From

WASHINGTON (CNN) - One might think the hiring of an envoy to handle outreach to the Muslim world would be something the State Department would want to tout.

Such a move was recently made, but it didn't qualify as significant news for diplomats, who failed to make the appointment public.

This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose Farah Pandith for the job.

State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly confirmed the appointment on Thursday after being asked about Indian news reports that Pandith, a Kashmiri-American, had been selected for the job.

"She's actually a friend of mine," Kelly told reporters. "I worked with her very closely in the European Bureau, Farah Pandith. She was a special adviser for outreach to Muslim communities in Europe. The secretary has appointed her to more of a global role."

Kelly was unclear about when Clinton tapped Pandith, saying he believed it was made within the past few days.

When asked why the post had not been made public, Kelly said an announcement was sent out to the "State Department community." However, he promised to disseminate more information about the appointment.

During his inaugural speech, President Barack Obama pledged to seek a "new way forward" with the Muslim world "based on mutual interest and respect," after eight years of tense relations with the Muslim world under President Bush.

Earlier this month during speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, Obama once again said he would try "to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

Filed under: Hillary Clinton


DawnL,CA   June 26th, 2009 6:29 pm ET

@Nunya 4:51
I didn't "imply" things like 9/11, I said it outright. Did not compare all muslims to terrorists, only the ones who do not speak out against these murders. Going back to the "Spanish Inquisition" is going back to far. You might as well go back to the Crusades.
Have a nice day.

Cliff   June 26th, 2009 6:25 pm ET

Obama the muslim is coming out of the closet muck quicker than even I thought he would!!! TRULY SAD!

Willy Brown   June 26th, 2009 6:11 pm ET

Screw that!!!

HJA   June 26th, 2009 5:43 pm ET

We are seeing the reality of the Muslim world right now. I haven't seen much response to the Iran crisis. Just a lot of silence. Maybe they are afraid it will spread?????

Neilz   June 26th, 2009 5:01 pm ET

I do not envy her. She will have the impossible task of trying to "reach out" to Muslims while we indiscriminately murder their women and children. And why a Kashmiri? That's where the never ending war of attrition moves next,, my friends. To Kashmir, (part of the secret deal with Pakistan) then to Somalia and Kenya, with possibly a short stop in Urghur. By then we will be in full conscription mode. Get those Canadian work visas now.

Indian American   June 26th, 2009 5:00 pm ET

Limbaugh is a liberal,

I'm Christian from India. Believe me There is no ill treatment of muslims in India. Of the 52 muslim countries in the world, India-a hindu majority country is the only one to provide Huj subsides. They also have whole bunch of welfare and affirmative action programs exclusively for muslims. While Hindus and Christians can have only one wife, muslims in India can have 4 wifes.

Muslims in India are like African Americans here. (I've no ill will toward both communities). They receive a lot from Government yet cry out loud about racism.

Srikanth   June 26th, 2009 4:55 pm ET

Whoa,

Farah Pandith is muslim? The last name indicates she is a Hindu and a Brahmin, the highest caste at that!

Nunya   June 26th, 2009 4:51 pm ET

For those of you implying that things like the 9/11 and bombs and the Cole are representative of all Muslims, don't complain when you as a Christian are criticized because you get lumped in with the KKK and the Spanish Inquisition, or even the Nazis. They're equivalent comparisons. There are evil extremists who belong to and abuse any belief system.

GuyInVA   June 26th, 2009 4:43 pm ET

Just remember, they are the religion of peace. And if you don't stop saying they aren't, they'll behead you.

Bill   June 26th, 2009 4:24 pm ET

Yea, just Obamas brothers in arms that he can suck up too..watch your neck....

Teleprompter of the U.S.A.   June 26th, 2009 3:47 pm ET

I thought Obama was our envoy for Muslim outreach....

Avi Shlomo   June 26th, 2009 3:47 pm ET

and who that can be? was he approved by the Israeli's. I guess the Iranian censorship is also alive at CNN as my earlier comments were not posted.

JackT   June 26th, 2009 3:12 pm ET

Oh good; yet another #@!@$%#@ envoy! How many are we up to now; at tax payers expense?

I can't wait to vote again.

Kashmiri origin   June 26th, 2009 3:06 pm ET

Kashmir belongs to India. She is an American of Indian origin.

If this would have been Bush Administration, there would be an outcry of how incompetent he and his administration are

Peter E   June 26th, 2009 2:53 pm ET

Fun fact: the two countries with the largest muslim populations (Indonesia, and India) are not arab.

Peter E   June 26th, 2009 2:52 pm ET

Fun fact: most arabs in America are not muslims. They are christians. Why else do you think they came to America in the first place!

Peter E   June 26th, 2009 2:51 pm ET

Fun fact: most muslims in America are not arabs. They are African-Americans and the members of the Nation of Islam.

Limbaugh is a liberal   June 26th, 2009 2:50 pm ET

It is a sad symptom of the division that the previous few decades created between christians and muslims. But compared to the rest of the world, especially India's treatment of muslims, China's treatment of christians, Israel's treatment of both, we are still a very inclusive, very tolerant country!

Samuel   June 26th, 2009 2:49 pm ET

Kashmiri women??

Kashmir belongs to India. She is an American of Indian origin.

What else can we expect from this incompetent government.

Peter E   June 26th, 2009 2:47 pm ET

Fun fact: Michael Jackson died a muslim!

Larry   June 26th, 2009 2:39 pm ET

Smart move.

This appointment is in the right direction. The Bush administration did a great job of putting the whole middle east on edge.

I like the approach to the Muslim world that President Obama is taking.

DawnL,CA   June 26th, 2009 2:35 pm ET

Another "czar" isn't going to cut it. Why aren't the Muslims sending an envoy to talk with us? 9/11, Kobar towers, 2 embassies, 1st. World trade center bombing, USS Cole ring any bells Pres. Obama? A country can only "kiss-up" so many times.

yuri   June 26th, 2009 2:26 pm ET

Kashmir is a part of India, ain't it? So it will be Indian-American, right?

RP Michigan   June 26th, 2009 2:24 pm ET

Interesting....Where is the special envoy for Christians, Jews, Hindus, Shinto, Buddhists, and any other religious group? And when we're talking Muslims, we're only talking about Arab Muslims. Why not an envoy for Arab Christians? Talk about discrimination!

RNC = DNC = politics as usual   June 26th, 2009 2:23 pm ET

It is a do-nothing event. Obama is a middle manager. He said he would do "something" to help Muslim relations.

He told the State Dept to make and envoy. They did. He's done.

Meanwhile. another village is bombed to dust in Afghanistan by Obama's troops.

What was the Change again?

rachel   June 26th, 2009 2:10 pm ET

Hope it works out!

Don   June 26th, 2009 2:08 pm ET

An outreach to continue the semi-lying, semi-apologetic, quasi-imaginary, somewhat truth-challenged mission of bending over to the Muslim world... Aren't we Americans in the business of freedom, liberty, pursuit of happiness, and all the other values that others need to outreach to (e.g., see Iran in recent days, though the administration have ignored it!)

Educate yourselves before you open your mouth and just let the words fall out   June 26th, 2009 2:05 pm ET

I think this is great, but I'm sure the usual bunch of Obama-slammers will soon start the "See-Obama-Really-Is-A-Muslim" crapola!

annie against biased news   June 26th, 2009 2:00 pm ET

Sounds like obama is phasing out Sen. Clinton. Probably his plan all along – hire her – make her look bad – then phase her out.

Buzz Daly   June 26th, 2009 2:00 pm ET

OMG! This is clearly a Muslim plot, and can come to no good. Americans will be forced to wear Burqas! And veils! And, that's just the men! OMG!

MZ   June 26th, 2009 1:57 pm ET

reach out to them, and they'll cut your arm off !!!

Avi shlomo   June 26th, 2009 1:52 pm ET

Please please make sure he is one of us an Israeli...
The administartion may have started on good foot but will always be impeded by our imbalanced and biased approach where the israeli colonial regime interest is put above our moral values of Freedom and self determination. This will only succeed when and only when we use the same sanction regimes against Iran to force istrael into reality and accomodation.

T22   June 26th, 2009 1:49 pm ET

I think they should call him a "czar", after all, we only have about 18 of those, and lots of new "special envoys".

Matt   June 26th, 2009 1:48 pm ET

I bet the genious that came up with "Hot Dog" diplomacy for Iranian Muslims will hire a Jewish person to this job.

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