I don't quite understand it. Aren't there already departments of the government better suited for this?
If the goal is to invite other countries to participate in space exploration and technology development, then I think NASA is the logical choice.
My issue is how the NASA Admininstrator framed his response; his foremost mission is to engage the Muslim world.
I would think the foremost mission of NASA would be:
1. Figure out what system will be used after the Space Shuttle is retired.
2. How are we going to get back to the Moon and the eventually Mars?
3. What is the future of space exploration beyond the ISS?
4. When are the space aliens coming back to earth to steal all our women?
If NASA wishes to engage in science and technology exchanges with countries that happen to Muslim, I think that's great. Pakistan has significant scientific expertise and may make a great 'intellectual partner' for NASA. If NASA were to invite a Muslim country have a person qualifiy as an astronaut and then go into space (granted it would be on a Russian rocket) to the ISS, that would be a significant accomplishment and would gain us some diplomatic capital with that country.
I don't take issue with the concept of using NASA as a tool of diplomacy, I have a hard time with the words used by Charles Bolden that he should "find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science ... and math and engineering." How exactly do we make someone feel good about contribution to science when their ground breaking work was almost a millenia ago??