Obama Turns his Back on an Ally in Danger

In December, something unremarkable happened: the home of Bangladeshi pro-democracy dissident Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury was attacked. It was unremarkable because President Obama has removed the security and attendant American trial observers that his predecessor put in place to protect Shoaib. So this sort of thing tends to happen.

A home invasion these days doesn’t really shake Shoaib–it’s nothing compared to what he’s been put through for standing up for freedom, the West, and moderate Islam.

Shoaib, editor of the pro-Western, pro-Israel Bangladeshi newspaper The Weekly Blitz (which produces an English-language online weekly as well) was about to board a plane to Tel Aviv on Nov. 29, 2003 when he was arrested and charged with sedition, blasphemy, treason, and espionage.

Shoaib was blindfolded and tortured for ten days as his interrogators attempted to beat a confession out of him that he was spying for Israel. He was then imprisoned in solitary confinement for seventeen days, without medical treatment. Human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International (which Shoaib calls “Amnesia International”) remained silent.

It wasn’t until word reached Republican Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois that Shoaib saw any improvement in his treatment. Throughout a marathon meeting with the Bangladeshi ambassador, Kirk never backed down. Finally, the ambassador promised Shoaib would be released, the charges dropped.

Eventually, Shoaib was released from prison on bail. But the charges were never dropped, and Shoaib is still on trial for his life. The Bush administration made sure there were American observers at his trial dates to remind the Bangladeshi court that the Islamists weren’t the only ones watching.

“But, things suddenly changed since January 2009,” Shoaib says. “The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka not only stopped sending any observer to the court, but they also stopped inquiring about my case and trial as well they stopped inviting me to any function or reception at U.S. Embassy.”

Furthermore, Shoaib reminded me last week, while Bush was president, “a political officer of U.S. Embassy was closely maintaining contact with me. But, since Mr. Obama became president, all such communications suddenly stopped.”

Because of the prevalence of attacks on Shoaib (and the Bush administration’s reminders that they were paying close attention to how Shoaib was treated) he was afforded security protection at his home. After he was abducted in 2008, the government in Dhaka pulled that security, betting that the incoming administration in Washington wouldn’t press them over it. They were right.

Bangladesh has for a long time been in a state of political turmoil. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, made an attempt to rig the elections scheduled for early 2007. The Bangladeshi military immediately took over in a bloodless coup and expelled Zia and the opposition Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed. In 2009, Sheikh Hasina returned and won fairly clean elections.

While not much was known about Obama before he ran for president, his disdain for American allies was clear as day to anyone following Shoaib’s case back then. Every single member of Congress approached about Shoaib’s case–Republican and Democrat–was happy to try to help and line up congressional support for Shoaib. All except for one, that is: Barack Obama.

When Obama was approached, he was distant and cold. Phone calls to his office went unreturned. He refused–again, he was the only one to respond this way–to aid Shoaib’s case in any way, shape, or form. When approached in person, he again declined to help. This wouldn’t surprise too many people these days; after all, the issue of human rights isn’t exactly Obama’s top concern.

At first, those of us who know Shoaib and watched him go through this ordeal hoped Obama’s reaction was simply disinterest. But I suppose we should have known. Shoaib’s personal security is important because the government refuses to drop the charges, yet also hasn’t convicted and executed Shoaib either. To them, the perfect solution would be if someone got rid of Shoaib for them. They wouldn’t have his blood on their hands, and the headache he continues to cause them would be cured.

The American observers and the police protection were what kept Shoaib and his family safe when he was at home. Obama has not only put Shoaib’s life in great danger, he has signaled to Bangladesh’s ubiquitous paramilitary forces that he is looking the other way.

One piece of great irony in this whole episode: Kirk–Shoaib’s original and tireless congressional advocate–is running for Obama’s old Senate seat.

Almost two years ago Shoaib told me, “We shall continue to fight our good battle against radical Islam. And, one day, we shall win.” I agree, but unfortunately it will be without the help of this president.