Obama Asks "To Seek A New Beginning" With Muslims In Cairo Speech
By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jun 4, 2009 2:20PM
Speaking at Cairo University today, President Barack Obama asked for peace between the United States and the Muslim world. Quoting from the Koran and sharing his own personal connections, such as his Muslim father, Obama appealed to the Muslim world for patience and to work with the United States for peace.
I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Koran tells us, “Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.” That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.
Obama also promised to ban torture in the course of interrogation and, while reittirating the relationship between Israel and the United States - "America’s strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied," - he continued to call for a separate Palestinian state: "America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own."
Click here to read the text of the speech [PDF, via the Trib] and watch the speech after the jump.