CAIRO - Invoking the Quran and his rarely used middle name, Barack Hussein Obama declared Thursday that America has a common cause with Islam and never will be at war with the faith - an overture intently watched by the Muslim world and welcomed in unlikely quarters. An Iranian cleric called the president's speech "an initial step for removing misconceptions."
Obama spoke at a seat of Islamic learning, his 55-minute address suffused with respect for touchstones of the religion. He said the time had come to "speak the truth" and "seek a new beginning."
"America and Islam are not exclusive," he said, "and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."
Obama made no specific references to his predecessor in the White House during his Cairo University speech, but others quickly did.
"There is a change between the language of President Obama and previous speeches made by George Bush," said Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas. But he added that Obama did not specifically note the suffering in Gaza following the three-week Israeli incursion earlier this year.
"So all we can say is that there is a difference in the statements, and the statements of today did not include a mechanism that can translate his wishes and views into actions," said Barhoum, whose group the U.S. considers a terrorist organization.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in advance of the speech that any statements by Obama were just "words, speech and slogan" that would leave in place sanctions designed to persuade the nation to stop its nuclear weapons program.
But Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a cleric who was vice president under reformist President Mohammad Khatami, called the speech "compensation" for a hostile environment created by Bush.
"This can be an initial step for removing misconceptions between world of Islam and the West," he said.
Obama's remarks were designed to reset relations after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Yet he also called sternly for Israelis and Palestinians to live up to their obligations in seeking peace, demanded Iran bow to international demands to halt its nuclear weapons program and bid Muslim countries help in eradicating the threat of fundamentalist' violence across the globe.
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Wright_Winger says...
Ahmedinajob must have been relieved when The Obama put his official blessing on Iran's nuclear development program. Nice they will have something to go bang to put on the end of those long-range missiles they have been testing.
June 5, 2009 at 11:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Timothy_Dike says...
0bama apology tour 2. I'm getting sick and tired of him going around trying to suck up to the Muslim world. It is they that should be apologizing to us, not the other way around. The Palestinians should go back home to Jordan and Egypt instead of demanding a chunk of Israel that they have no right to. Barrak Husein 0bama is a big embarrassment.
June 5, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
terrebatu says...
"the Palestinians should go back home to Jordan and Egypt instead of demanding a chunk of Israel that they have no right to"
I suggest you go read a history book. Another uninformed right winger.
June 5, 2009 at 1:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
striped_tigerfan says...
Okay, I'm confused. Several months back some people who posted comments on here said we shouldn't call Obama by the name of Hussein. Now, he is using his full name or is that just when he's an Arab; kind of like Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde??? How nice he remembers and can quote from the Quran.
Hussein said in his Cairo University speech, quote:"America and Islam are not exclusive," he said, "and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."
Now I'm definitely confused and I don't think it's from Alzheimers. America is a country and Islam is a religion so why would the two be compared as being in competition. I assume it is okay for Hussein to say the word Muslim but not politically correct to mention Christianity.
I was always under the impression that the U.S. was a Christian nation. Could someone please set me straight but don't use the word "religion", it's a no no for discussion on here.
June 5, 2009 at 2:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
c0uchtime says...
Spiritual, yes. God-fearing and loving, yes. But Christian? Only maybe. "Christian" sort of leaves out the Native-Americans, the Jewish, and a host of other people who are fully American but not particularly attentive to Jesus' ideals and teachings. Many of them are "christian" in name only. Add them all up and throw in the outright atheists, the agnostics and the Muslims, Mohammedans, B'ahai, Occidentals and non-seculars and I suspect you find that true Christians are a distinct minority. A really vocal minority, sometimes even irritatingly so, but still hardly as representative as they would like to believe.....
June 5, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
teacherlady says...
striped_tigerfan, even if you can't, most people can treat a group with respect even if they don't belong to it, just as people can quote the Koran without being a Muslim.
The president fulfilled one of his campaign promises by making a major speech to the Muslim world in an attempt to rebuild the relationships that have been falling apart for years, trying to bring the United States and Muslim world together.President Obama said in his speech, "...This cycle of suspicion and discord must end. I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world."
In response to your post, first I think you're misreading the quote you posted. When he said American and Islam are not exclusive, he meant that both can peacefully coexist, that they do not have to run counter to each other, and then he supported this statement by pointing out common factors shared by Christianity and Islam, the dominantly-Muslim world and the U.S.
In his attempt to re-build these relationships, Obama is making a concerted effort to treat the Muslim world with respect. Howard Fineman, senior Washington correspondent for "Newsweek" magazine said, "The president used the idiom of Islam repeatedly, talking about the Holy Koran, the cadence of his speech, the phrases that he used, 'Peace be upon you' and so forth. These were all instantly recognizable as signs of respect...As Haass says, the narrative in the world has often been one of humiliation by the west. Here was our American president showing respect. In this case, words did matter."
Second, people didn't take offense to the use of Obama's middle name, we took offense to the use of his middle name as a playground-style insult. There's a significant difference. Presidents are often announced by their full names, so the idea that using it in Cairo is some sort of double standard doesn't really make sense.
June 5, 2009 at 3:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
striped_tigerfan says...
cOuchtime, thanks a million for that enlightening explaination. What a shame so many God-fearing and loving "fully American people" including the atheists, agnostics, Jevohah Witness, Muslims and the list goes on.....are being led down the yellow brick road not to Kansas but to nowhere.
June 5, 2009 at 3:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
striped_tigerfan says...
teacherlady, where I live I would imagine that I interact with Muslims far more than you do in St. Joe. I base that judgement on the fact that I used to live there. I see them as the same individuals as everyone else and by no means feel any animosity toward them or any other race as far as that is concerned.
I'm still buffaloed as to why BHO would refer to Islam to compare to America. Why wouldn't he have made the comparision to America and Muslim countries.
Oh, by the way I would prefer to quote scripture from the Holy Bible no matter who I am speaking to or for. Saying the right words just to fit in with the crowd doesn't score any points in my arena.
I have heard excuses for his actions from the time BHO was elected. I hope those actions don't turn into disappointments. KA-BOOM!
June 5, 2009 at 3:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goobentrot says...
I certainly hope we don't have any KA-Booms, however we are headed for some fincncial kA-Booms starting with government motors. It will continue to cost the taxpayer billions and it's going to be a financial disaster.
June 5, 2009 at 4:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
c0uchtime says...
I figure President Obama deflated a lot of the radical factions across the Middle East and befriended moderates. Those who depend on hatred to stir up trouble lost a little ground and maybe the rational minds and hearts have reason to feel more bouyant. We can only hope that something good has begun because we have a lot of ground to cover just to undo the "cowboy" attitude that "W" rubbed in their faces. If we are lucky, it won't take 6 years to undo the damages. And I thank God I don't have to stand in Stripped-Tigerfan's arena.
June 5, 2009 at 5:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
striped_tigerfan says...
Well, goobentrot, since BHO is getting buddy buddy with the Muslim countries maybe they will help the US out when we go under.
And cOuchtime, I'm sorry to hear that you don't want to stand in my arena - tickets go on sale next week.
June 5, 2009 at 6:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lbc says...
We have a problem getting it right..........When Geo W carried the ball, the bad guys knew they were get a smack in the chops if they did the wrong thing.
If the do something wrong today they know Hillary will show up with a bag of coins....usually a billion or so.
We need to get in the Reagan mode where they know they'll get a smack in the chops but in a way that is not insulting or demeaning....and they damn well won't get the bag of gold.
It's like on the school yard the toughest guy doesn''t usually have to fight because they all know he will whip them promptly and he usually doesn't run at the mouth because he knows he doesn't have to. We can't seem to choose the President who occupies that middle ground. Geo W sure wasn't the right choice and OHB is not looking great.
June 5, 2009 at 10:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wildwest says...
Latitude has just been condoned for an unstable region of the world to continue to build serious weapons with one goal of challenging each other in a dangerous game of duel. This is serious business and as time goes on it will be interesting to see how this plays out. If the plan for peace and stability goes south, there will be alot of reprucussions throughout the world. That region of the world loves business, but does not subscribe to Western values, it never has. The few countries that do tolerate some Western influence are those who give enough latitude in order to conduct business with the US as well as Europe. When it comes to business, these few countries over there are very sharp at it. However, they also behind the scenes will support extremists with causes that are against our way of life. In other words, the region as a whole wants us gone. We as a country need to find solutions to bring that concept into reality and band together to do whatever it takes to prevent that. This is just my opinion.
June 6, 2009 at 4:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
matty73 says...
what exactly,is our "way of life"?Supersized value meals and aircraft carriers?Blood thirsty democracy seen through the scope of a rifle.You can ask the zionist isrealis about that.The big kid in the playground was ussually referred to as "the bully"who in the end got his head kicked in.I think its funny that when someone tries to reach out,talk with common humane respect that the majority of you condemm him for it.
June 6, 2009 at 12:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lbc says...
As I carefully reflect, the "big kid" usually wasn't the bully. He was the one the "bully" didn't mess with He was more often quiet and most often didn't mouth off....he led by example. I think the US should have a strategy based on that model.
You notice we "whipped" the Soviet Union without military force. And, we didn't whip them by apologies and pandering.. I like that model
Geo W didn't get it.......and he went another way that didn't work. Obama doesn't seem to get it and he's trying yet another approach...I don't like his model either.
June 6, 2009 at 1:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )