Obama embraces Muslim world Mike Allen Mike Allen 2 hrs 26 mins ago
President Barack Obama sought Monday to make American amends with the Islamic world after eight years of tension, declaring in a speech to the Turkish parliament that he is determined to have a “partnership with the Muslim world.”
“Let me say this as clearly as I can: the United States is not – and will never be — at war with Islam,” Obama said in remarks delivered in Ankara. “In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical not just in rolling back the violent ideologies that people of all faiths reject but also to strengthen opportunities for all people.”
Obama’s declaration that the U.S. is not at war with Islam is certain to get huge play throughout the Arab world.
Former President George W. Bush said many times that Islam is a religion of peace. In a 2003 interview with the Arab news network Al Arabiya, he said: “I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That's what I believe. I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace.
Obama, seeking to mend strains with a critical ally that bridges Europe and the Middle East, acknowledged “difficulties these last few years.”
Turkey, the only majority Muslim country in NATO, refused use of its territory as an invasion route to Iraq.
“I know that the trust that binds us has been strained, and I know that strain is shared in many places where the Muslim faith is practiced,” Obama said. “Our focus will be on what we can do, in partnership with people across the Muslim world, to advance our common hopes, and our common dreams. And when people look back on this time, let it be said of America that we extended the hand of friendship.
“There is an old Turkish proverb: ‘You cannot put out fire with flames.’ America knows this. Turkey knows this. There are some who must be met with force. But force alone cannot solve our problems, and it is no alternative to extremism. The future must belong to those who create, not those who destroy. That is the future we must work for, and we must work for it together.
The Arab satellite news channels Al Jazeera and Al Arabiyia carried the address live. Here is the full text of the president’s remarks. :
Mr. Speaker, Madam Deputy Speaker, distinguished members, I am honored to speak in this chamber, and I am committed to renewing the alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people.
This is my first trip overseas as President of the United States. I have been to the G-20 Summit in London, the NATO Summit in Strasbourg and Kehl, and the European Union Summit in Prague. Some people have asked me if I chose to continue my travels to Ankara and Istanbul to send a message. My answer is simple: Evet. Turkey is a critical ally. Turkey is an important part of Europe. And Turkey and the United States must stand together – and work together – to overcome the challenges of our time.
This morning I had the privilege of visiting the tomb of the great founder of your Republic. I was deeply impressed by this beautiful memorial to a man who did so much to shape the course of history. But it is also clear that the greatest monument to Ataturk’s life is not something that can be cast in stone and marble. His greatest legacy is Turkey’s strong and secular democracy, and that is the work that this assembly carries on today.
This future was not easily assured. At the end of World War I, Turkey could have succumbed to the foreign powers that were trying to claim its territory, or sought to restore an ancient empire. But Turkey chose a different future. You freed yourself from foreign control. And you founded a Republic that commands the respect of the United States and the wider world.
There is a simple truth to this story: Turkey’s democracy is your own achievement. It was not forced upon you by any outside power, nor did it come without struggle and sacrifice. Like any democracy, Turkey draws strength from both the successes of the past, and from the efforts of each generation of Turks that makes new progress for your people.
My country’s democracy has its own story. The general who led America in revolution and governed as our first President was George Washington. Like you, we built a grand monument to honor our founding father – a towering obelisk that stands in the heart of the capital city that bears Washington’s name.
It took decades to build. There were frequent delays. Over time, more and more people contributed to help make this monument the inspiring structure that still stands tall today. Among those who came to our aid were friends from all across the world, who offered their own tributes to Washington and the country he helped to found.
One of those tributes came from Istanbul. Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid sent a marble plaque that helped to build the Washington Monument. Inscribed in the plaque was a poem that began with a few simple words, and I quote: “So as to strengthen the friendship between the two countries.” Over 150 years have passed since those words were carved into marble. Our nations have changed in many ways. But our friendship is strong, and our alliance endures.
It is a friendship that flourished in the years after World War II, when President Truman committed our nation to the defense of Turkey’s freedom and sovereignty, and Turkey committed itself to the NATO alliance. Turkish troops have served by our side from Korea to Kosovo to Kabul. Together, we withstood the great test of the Cold War. Trade between our nations has steadily advanced. So has cooperation in science and research.
The ties among our people have deepened as well, and more and more Americans of Turkish origin live and work and succeed within our borders. As a basketball fan, I’ve even noticed that Hedo Turkoglu and Mehmet Okur have got some pretty good game. ..........................http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090406/pl_politico/20927
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Salvatore
April 6, 2009, 11:56am
Guest User
he should do this and apologise to on behalf of us and that evil bush for what he did to those people it is only the hate -ful nuts that ruin the relationships with the world that lead us to this war which is no good
The fact that Obama is making these mea culpas on foreign soil is something no conservative would ever dream of doing but actually acturally gets admiration on the left both here and in Europe ( not in this forum ) for the president having the “courage” to m I think ake a public confession.
And let’s not forget that Obama, in the next breath following his apology, condemned Europeans for their virulent anti-Americanism. Now those are words from an American president that haven’t been heard since Reagan.
And for all you psudoChristians - last night on Larrry King- evangelical Christian pastor Rick Warren ( author of " Purpose Driven Life " commented that Obmas perception and response in handling this Muslim issue is EXACTLY what it should be-
That must have been hard to ta take for all you quasi-Christians
yes we NEED the muslims because these people have made most of the advances in the civilation going back at least 2000 years and YES they have some of the best and the brightest of people that will be working with us to solve the problems in the world including the economy plus the enegery issue over here SO WAKE UP STUNAD. Our leader is one of the best president since Truman and those other "presidents" like Reagan and that can't compare.
And for all you psudoChristians - last night on Larrry King- evangelical Christian pastor Rick Warren ( author of " Purpose Driven Life " commented that Obmas perception and response in handling this Muslim issue is EXACTLY what it should be-
That must have been hard to ta take for all you quasi-Christians
Rick Warren IS a pseudo Christian. Warren is a puppet propped up by the two parties. Who made Warren the spokesmen for Evangelical Christians??
They march a guy like Warren out on Larry King and attempt to sell him as an Evangelical, trying to persuade Christians to follow his lead. It's all part of the Government/Media/Religious complex. Both parties are guilty of it. The Republicans use an ultra conservative mega church leader like Fawell, and Democrats use a liberal mega church leader like Warren. Let's try to think for ourselves and not blindly follow a man that the media brands "Evangelical".
Stick to science Sombody. Christians are taught to follow the teachings of God through the Holy Bible. NOT the preaching of a mere mortal man. And true practicing Christians have the ability to discern between the two. The devil takes on many forms.
A smart person like yourself, I'm surprised you are so easily fooled.
Rick Warren IS a pseudo Christian. Warren is a puppet propped up by the two parties. Who made Warren the spokesmen for Evangelical Christians??
They march a guy like Warren out on Larry King and attempt to sell him as an Evangelical, trying to persuade Christians to follow his lead. It's all part of the Government/Media/Religious complex. Both parties are guilty of it. The Republicans use an ultra conservative mega church leader like Fawell, and Democrats use a liberal mega church leader like Warren. Let's try to think for ourselves and not blindly follow a man that the media brands "Evangelical".
Stick to science Sombody. Christians are taught to follow the teachings of God through the Holy Bible. NOT the preaching of a mere mortal man. And true practicing Christians have the ability to discern between the two. The devil takes on many forms.
A smart person like yourself, I'm surprised you are so easily fooled.
Your response is exactly what I expect from somone who gets thier infomation SECOND HAND-
-You must be Catholic to the core Still pray to Mary ? -Warren marches for no one- Democrates are " using " him ? What a joke- -He isnt a spokes person for evangelicals- nor does he claim to be- -A mega church liberal ? - dude are you in a coma ? -He does not play to the media- -I have been to his church ( The Saddleback Church ) numbers of times. I actually heard about him 30 years ago when he as Pastor for the Mission Viejo football team- ( Ironicly called the Diablos )
You have NO CLUE as to where Im coming from- but you my friend are easy to figure- a cloiseter in upstate NY ? - I do not consider myself evangelical and niether does Pastor Warren
- I do not consider myself evangelical and niether does Pastor Warren
You are correct...Warren doesn't consider himself 'anything'. He has what is called a 'feel good' ministry. He's about as far off the mark of Christianity as you can get. I'm not surprised at all that you find Warren to be a suitable religious leader. But beware....cicero is absolutely correct...Warren has risen to the ranks through politics and will be puppeted by them.
I don't know about cicero, but I am NOT a catholic, nor do I pray to mary.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I think think you can tell me everything you know about Rick Warren in one sentence-
Feel good ministry ? Hardly- Just the basics - There is no good thing you can do to become righteous You are saved by grace through faith- end of story-
And for all you psudoChristians - last night on Larrry King- evangelical Christian pastor Rick Warren ( author of " Purpose Driven Life " commented that Obmas perception and response in handling this Muslim issue is EXACTLY what it should be-
That must have been hard to ta take for all you quasi-Christians
And he is both leading and riding the newest wave of change in the Evangelical community: an expansion beyond social conservatism to causes such as battling poverty, opposing torture and combating global warming. The movement has loosened the hold of religious-right leaders on ordinary Evangelicals and created an opportunity for Warren, who has lent his prominent voice to many of the new concerns.
A shift away from "sin issues" — like abortion and gay marriage — is reflected in Warren's approach to his coming sit-downs with the candidates. He says he is more interested in questions that he feels are "uniting," such as "poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change and human rights," and still more in civics-class topics like the candidates' understanding of the role of the Constitution. There will be no "Christian religion test," Warren insists. "I want what's good for everybody, not just what's good for me. Who's the best for the nation right now?"
Warren is less concerned with saving souls, and more concerned with his political influence with such issues as "global warming. When is that mentioned in the Bible?? That must be the 40 days and 40 nights of rain that's mentioned. Liberals like yourself who always scream "separation of Church and State", are more than glad to praise and harness pastor Warren when he champions your ideology. Warren is another pawn in the move toward globalization.
Pastor Warren doesn't attempt to hide his ambitions, and his ambitions have less to do with helping people find Jesus and more to do with his role in the fight against the pseudo science problem of "global warming".
The devil comes in many forms...........Practice discernment.
My use of " Evangelical " was simply for the benifit of the conservative right wing thinkers- they like to hear stuff like that.
Pastor Warren is just a simple Christian- SIMPLE- but oh so difficult for many to understand- got it ?
Your big city intellect had my narrow upstate mind confused. I'm not familiar with the sophisticated - say one thing and mean something else.
Your use of "Evangelical" is considered "rhetoric". Intentionally used to mislead the audience through emotionally charged language. It's called PATHOS.
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He won't go to Normandy to honor the thousands of our troops that died on French soil! He turned down a request from the French President! 
