US is not at war with Islam, says Barack Obama

[Uthman]

US president tells Turkish parliament that partnership with Muslim world is critical in confronting al-Qaida ideology.

Barack Obama today declared that the US "is not at war with Islam" as he made his first visit to a predominantly Muslim country as the US president.

In an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama sought to enlist support for US efforts to stamp out al-Qaida, a group he described as extremists who were unrepresentative of the vast majority of Muslims.

"Let me say this as clearly as I can," he said. "The United States is not, and never will be, at war at war with Islam.

"In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject."

At an earlier press conference, Obama said he wanted the US and Turkey to build a "model partnership" between a predominantly Christian country and a mainly Muslim nation.

He chose to end his whirlwind tour – which took in France, Germany and the Czech Republic as well as the G20 summit in London – in Turkey, which he praised as a bridge between east and west.

Seeking to win over Muslims alienated by George Bush's war in Iraq, Obama spoke of "deep appreciation for the Islamic faith".

In his speech, broadcast live on al-Jazeera and al-Arabiyia, two of the biggest Arabic satellite TV channels, he said Islam "has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better, including my own country".

He urged Israel and the Palestinians to take steps towards building confidence and trust.

Declaring that he would actively pursue the goal of peace in the Middle East, Obama said the world should not give in to pessimism.

"Let me be clear: the United States strongly supports the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security," the US president said.

"Now we must not give into pessimism and mistrust. We must pursue every opportunity for progress."

Obama again urged Iran to desist from any nuclear weapons ambitions, and said a region that was already unsettled did not need a race for ever more powerful weapons.

Apart from broad geopolitical themes, he also had to tiptoe through some tricky bilateral matters, notably accusations that Turkey committed genocide against Armenians in 1915.

The US president, who has previously described the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide, said he had not changed his view but had been encouraged by negotiations between Turkey and Armenia on the issue.

He told a joint news conference with the Turkish president, Abdullah Gul, he did not want to focus on his own views but rather preferred to be a partner in efforts between Armenia and Turkey to come to terms with what happened.

The US president supported an Armenian genocide resolution put before Congress during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Turkey fears he will continue this backing as president, in a break with his two immediate predecessors, George Bush and Bill Clinton.

Ankara has warned that the resolution could strain ties and harm efforts to improve relations with Armenia.

Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey denies the deaths were genocide, saying those killed were victims of civil war. It also claims the number of deaths has been inflated.

Gul said the issue was historical, as opposed to legal or political, and invited the Americans or French – France has been vocal about the deaths – to be part of a joint Turkish-Armenian commission investigating what happened.

Obama said he wanted to encourage those talks, not tilt them in favour of one country.

"If they can move forward and deal with a difficult and tragic history, then I think the entire world should encourage that," he said.

Source

[Uthman]

Obama extends hand to Muslims

President Obama marked his first foreign trip by including Muslims in the "extended hand" foreign policy that he has launched as phase one of his presidency internationally.

In a speech to the Turkish parliament in Ankara, he said: "The United States is not and will never be at war with Islam."

He stressed that American relations with the "Muslim community" worldwide were not narrowly based.

"(They) will not be based on opposition to al-Qaeda," he said.

"We seek broad engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect. We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better, including my own country."

He said that US partnership with the Muslim world was "critical... in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject".

He went out of his way to be placatory and acknowledged that trust had been "strained" of late, in an unspoken reference to the George W Bush years.

"We will listen carefully, bridge misunderstanding... We will be respectful, even when we do not agree," he said.

He will continue this theme in Istanbul on Tuesday.

Two-state solution

The speech contained signals of interest to Muslim listeners.

For example, the president emphasised that he was committed to a two-state solution for an Israel and Palestine living side by side.

He mentioned by name the 2007 Annapolis agreement, which enshrined the two-state solution, thereby rejecting the view of the new Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman that it is no longer valid.

It was also significant that the speech took place in a largely Muslim country, albeit one with a strong secular tradition going back to its founder Kamal Ataturk, whom he praised.

Indeed, Mr Obama dwelt at some length on the development of Turkish democracy and how reform should continue, an indicator that, for him, religion should not be a cover for resistance to change.

His message was very much in line with what he has been offering on this tour.

His theme is the extended hand. It applies to friend and potential foe alike, with the exception of those - he mentioned al-Qaeda for one - who had to be met, as he put in this speech, "with force".

He has pressed the reset button with Russia, has promised a "strategic dialogue" with China, has called on Iran to "engage" with the US, has reformulated policy in Afghanistan, and - with personal charm and a new approach - has won over Europeans tired of George W Bush.

And now, the Muslim world is included.

First phase

It is however only the first phase of his foreign policy, because it is as yet unclear what happens if there are no results.

What if, for example, Iran continues on its present ambiguous course of enriching uranium, in which it appears to be acquiring the means by which to make nuclear weapons while denying that it intends to do so?

What if Russia and the US cannot resolve their differences over missile defence?

President Jimmy Carter also began like this but ran into the realities of world politics on several fronts - Iran seized hostages at the US embassy in Tehran, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

Jimmy Carter's days in office were ended when Ronald Reagan took over and switched foreign and defence policy towards seeking American safety not through negotiation but through power.

Source

[Uthman]

Barack Obama woos Muslims from secular Turkey

• President seeks partners to pursue 'common goals'
• Relationship must extend beyond fighting terrorism

Barack Obama extended an olive branch to the Muslim world from the floor of Turkey's parliament yesterday by declaring the US was not "at war with Islam" but instead sought its partnership to pursue common goals.

In his first visit to a predominantly Muslim country, he praised Islam's contribution to civilisation and said America's relationship with it must extend beyond fighting terrorism.

Obama's appeal carried greater weight for being delivered in Turkey, a Nato ally, where the image of the US has been tarnished by opposition to the war in Iraq.

Acknowledging that the war had sown Muslim mistrust of the US, he said: "The United States is not and will never be at war with Islam. 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 opportunity for its people.

"America's relationship with the Muslim community, the Muslim world, cannot be based just on the opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

The remarks were applauded by Turkish MPs during a 25-minute speech that was also witnessed by the top brass of the country's military. While Obama's visit to Turkey - the last stop of his week-long European tour - had been intended primarily to demonstrate Washington's commitment to a strategic ally, the sentiments were clearly designed to resonate beyond the chamber.

Obama, who signalled his intention to seek a fresh understanding with Islam during his inauguration speech in January, pledged to match his words with action by advancing education, healthcare and trade in Muslim countries.

Mindful of Turkey's offer to mediate in settling America's 30-year-old dispute with Iran, he reiterated his previous offer of rapprochement to the leadership in Tehran but warned it must abandon any ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons. Obama won further applause when he referred obliquely to his Muslim father and to having spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, another majority Muslim country.

Turkish television channels emphasised Obama's supposed links to Islam throughout the day yesterday by repeatedly referring to his middle name, Hussein.

That reflected a more positive attitude held by Turks generally towards the president compared with his predecessor, George Bush, who was deeply unpopular.

Obama's message on Islam was striking given that White House aides had signalled beforehand that Turkey would not be the venue for a keynote address he has promised to make to the Muslim world by the end of his first 100 days in office.

Other parts of yesterday's address were devoted to emphasising Turkey's secular character, as defined by the modern state's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, whose tomb he visited. Obama said he had chosen to visit Turkey to send a message to the world. "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 times," he said.

The message was aimed partly at Europe: "The US strongly supports Turkey's bid to become a member of the European Union," he said. "Europe gains by the diversity of ethnicity, culture and faith - it is not diminished by it. And Turkish membership would broaden and strengthen Europe's foundation once more."

That represented a subtle change of tack from the Bush administration, which often lauded Turkey as an example of "moderate Islam" rather than emphasising its European credentials. It also amounted to a rebuke to some European leaders, particularly the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who oppose Turkey's membership bid.

Obama sidestepped the one issue with the potential to offend his hosts: the controversy over the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turkish forces during the first world war. The president had previously supported US congressional resolutions that would declare the massacres a "genocide", a definition contested by Turkey.

Yesterday he avoided using the term but backed talks aimed at restoring ties between Turkey and Armenia. Soli Ozel, an analyst at Bilgi University in Istanbul, said Obama had pressed "all the right buttons". "It looked at both sides of Turkey's identity, secular and Islamic," he said.

Source

[مـحـمد نـبـينا]

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله و بركاته

.كذاب

و السلام عليكم

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[crayon]

I keep forgetting Obama is president, for some reason, even though it's quite difficult to miss... strange.

[Amadeus85]

Hmm I dont like the US push for allowing Turkey to be member of UE. I dont know what interest Americans have behind it.

[Keltoi]

Hmm I dont like the US push for allowing Turkey to be member of UE. I dont know what interest Americans have behind it.

The only interest is to improve relations with Turkey. That relationship was strained because of the Iraq War.

[Whatsthepoint]

The only interest is to improve relations with Turkey. That relationship was strained because of the Iraq War.

At the same time you are straying relations with some European countries and a large part of European tight wing politics?

[Amadeus85]

At the same time you are straying relations with some European countries and a large part of European tight wing politics?

:D You have recognized the real nature of european far rightists.

[Keltoi]

At the same time you are straying relations with some European countries and a large part of European tight wing politics?

It's a balancing act. As always.

[Ali.]

I'm not so sure about this.. we'll have to wait and see to be honest..

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله و بركاته

.كذاب

و السلام عليكم

خل نصبر و نشوف

[مـحـمد نـبـينا]

خل نصبر و نشوف

.طيب طيب

و السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

[Whatsthepoint]

.طيب طيب

و السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

:sl:

[Amadeus85]

:sl:

If I wrote anything in polish no one would guess the meaning. :bump1:

[wth1257]

If I wrote anything in polish no one would guess the meaning. :bump1:

My friend speaks some Polish and my Russian allows me to get the gist of what he's saying every now and then

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

Sorry buttttttt I dont speak Arabic! ARGH! So i duno wot u folks said :/

[Na7lah]

The first member said Obama is lying, the second said we'll just have to wait and see, the first replied back ok ok :p

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

LOOOL. JazakAllah Khair ukhti, may Allah reward you ameen. loool. Your always my translator! :)

[Al-Zaara]

Finally Osman you created a thread about this. I found it to be important and up-to date, so I was surprised it took you a while. Ncnc, not pleased with the news-giving mr. imsad

I watched it all in Turkish TV, and got the talks translated by my parents. And it was interesting to see him inside the mosque, he seemed genuinly fascinated and almost fell when he kept watching around.

[buddy1]

are you surprised, its a beautiful and facinating place, even when its busy its sooooo peaceful. maybe he'll convert! lol :D

[Al-Zaara]

No, I'm not surprised really. InshaAllah he will! :D

[buddy1]

:D haha!

[wth1257]

No, I'm not surprised really. InshaAllah he will! :D

That would make me giggle with happy.

Not so much because of the conversion act itself, but because seeing Ann Coulter, Pat Robertson, etc reactions would be so yummy.

[Pygoscelis]

That would make me giggle with happy.

Not so much because of the conversion act itself, but because seeing Ann Coulter, Pat Robertson, etc reactions would be so yummy.

I think their heads would explode. I may die laughing.

[Amadeus85]

I dont know much about Ann Coulter, but Pat Robertson seems to be good american patriot. When America had many people like him, it was the most powerful country in the world.

[The_Prince]

I dont know much about Ann Coulter, but Pat Robertson seems to be good american patriot. When America had many people like him, it was the most powerful country in the world.

nut jobs like pat robertson were never the majority in America, even when America was the most dominant force, nut jobs like Pat robertson is what brought America down, he is the same type as Bush and his fellow neocons.

[Gator]

nut jobs like pat robertson were never the majority in America,...

I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with almost everything The Prince has to say here. :)

In fact I was actually going to use "nut jobs like pat robertson" in my response.

[Amadeus85]

Nut jobs like those who sacrificed their life in World War II, Korea and Vietnam?

[The_Prince]

Nut jobs like those who sacrificed their life in World War II, Korea and Vietnam?

can you plz show us where any of these soldiers believed dooms day was around the corner, can you plz show us where these soldiers make prophecies predicting huge chaos at specific dates etc etc? those soldiers would be quite insulted by you comparing them to pat robertson.

and whats funny is most soldiers in vietnam and korea were young men who didnt even know what they were fighting for, nor did they even want to be fighting there, so its quite funny you use these soldiers as a comparison to robertson, quite hilarious infact.

whats more funny is that ppl like pat robertson say that what happened in ww2 was a punishment from God against the Jews for their rejection.

[AntiKarateKid]

Right Obama. Riiiight.

It only invades Muslim countries and supports regimes that kill and oppress Muslims.

Does he think we're stupid? Stop supporting Israel, get your butt outta the mideast, and stop killing Muslims.

[Gator]

Nut jobs like those who sacrificed their life in World War II, Korea and Vietnam?

What does that have to do with pat robertson?

[Gator]

Right Obama. Riiiight.

It only invades Muslim countries and supports regimes that kill and oppress Muslims.

Does he think we're stupid? Stop supporting Israel, get your butt outta the mideast, and stop killing Muslims.

Since we're being stupid and simplistic:

I would ask muslims to stop flying planes into buildings, stop blowing up people going on their way to work, stop killing hundreds of thousands of other innocent muslims because they believe in something slightly different, stop blowing up girls schools and flogging and executing people seemingly at random in the street.

Wow, being a moron is so easy.

[Uthman]

Comment by Rami Khouri:

President Barack Obama's speech to Turkey's parliament on Monday was another milestone in what appears to be his continuing attempt to steer the American ship of foreign policy in new directions. He made some important new statements and changes in style, while repeating some silly bad habits and simplistic insults. If he intended to address the Islamic world and signal a more humble, realistic policy toward majority-Islamic countries, he gets high marks for intent and execution, and medium marks for substance.

He reminded us once again of three linked issues: The U.S. has serious problems with some Muslims and some quarters of the Islamic world, and it is trying to acknowledge and redress those problems with a refreshing combination of courage, humility and honesty. But deep structural flaws still exist in achieving this goal.

The most significant thing about Mr. Obama's speech was the disparity between how he addressed all the tough issues that matter to Turkey - European Union admission, Kurdish relations, Armenian history, Cyprus, democratic consolidation, and the South Caucasus states - while offering only soft rhetoric and hollow generalities when speaking about U.S. relations with the Islamic world. Specificity reflects seriousness, generalities hesitation.

Mr. Obama should be commended for tackling these issues but chided for resorting to simplistic nothingness in four areas. The first is his meaningless statement that the U.S. "is not, and will never be, at war with Islam." He might be surprised to learn that Islam is not at war with America or Americans. He would be much better advised to stick to the facts - that a very small number of criminal Muslims attacked the U.S., and that his country is justifiably fighting them. By addressing "Islam" as a protagonist, he recklessly transforms specific quarrels into civilizational, religious and cultural battles.

His second mistake is to speak glowingly of respect for the Islamic faith and all that it has contributed to the world, while always counterframing his words in the context of terrorism and warfare. He should speak, instead, of the rights that individuals and countries expect to enjoy in a world governed by law and mutual commitments to sovereign rights. Muslims don't need a U.S. president to tell them they have a fine cultural heritage; they want to hear that he respects a rule of law applied equally and consistently to all countries, regardless of religion.

His third mistake is that he frames the tensions between some Muslims and some Americans in terms of religious differences, rather than acknowledging that most criticisms of the U.S. in the Arab-Asian heartland of Islam reflect anger with U.S. foreign policy. The problem is not faith, it's foreign policy - specifically, U.S. policies that support Israel or autocrats throughout the Arab-Asian region. By evading these core problems, he ends up flailing for substitute issues to address.

His fourth mistake is to single out Iran as a potential menace for allegedly wanting to develop nuclear weapons, and chiding Iranian leaders as a teacher would children. This totally negates his remarks about wanting to deal with Iran on the basis of "mutual interests and mutual respect."

These criticisms of Mr. Obama's shortcomings should not detract from his commendable change in tone and direction from the horrors of the George Bush years. One intriguing new twist in his remarks was the insistence that Israelis and Palestinians must both honour commitments, change their ways, and make new moves to achieve the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security.

This is not a major new policy - but it does seem like another small shift toward repositioning the U.S. as a credible mediator seeking to work simultaneously for the rights and best interests of both Israelis and Palestinians. Rarely has a U.S. president spoken so clearly about both Israelis and Palestinians needing to change their ways to achieve peace.

We have here only vague hints couched in nice rhetoric, but they are intriguing hints that should be watched for signs of policies that affirm them. Large ships adjust their course slowly and incrementally. Mr. Obama turned the wheel a few degrees in Turkey this week.

Rami Khouri is editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star, and director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut.

Source

[Yanal]

In my perspective I think everyone has high expectations for President Barack Obama ,in four possibly eight years he will have to improve relations with countries someway or another because President George W Bush really put Barack in a heap of trouble and I think Obama is really trying to fix the corrupted countries policy and pride.In order for that to happen Obama needs to accomplish these small/big things which could ease the pain of the next president.

Next I think Obama should track down Canada and improve it's economy. It's really hard living here and earning minimum wage right now. The two top countries have fallen into corruption and have low economy ,most people are getting fired. But only Barack Obama can fix this other ten Stephen harper the prime minister of Canada.

[AntiKarateKid]

Since we're being stupid and simplistic:

I would ask muslims to stop flying planes into buildings, stop blowing up people going on their way to work, stop killing hundreds of thousands of other innocent muslims because they believe in something slightly different, stop blowing up girls schools and flogging and executing people seemingly at random in the street.

Wow, being a moron is so easy.

Hundreds of thousands of other Muslims? I think you're getting Israel and the US confused with Al-Qaeda.

Why shouldn't we see it as a war against Islam when the main casualties of the war are Muslim and the regimes the US props up hate them?

But flying into individual buildings/killing people on the way to work is nothing compared to bombing a whole country to the stone age and torturing people overseas after taking them from their families unexpectedly.

You're on the losing side Gator. Al-Qaeda hasnt done even 1% as much damage as the US and its allies.

[Yanal]

Yes only the two towers which don't even account to the 0.1% population of buildings^.

[Gator]

nevermind. Osman you were right.

[wth1257]

Wow, being a moron is so easy.

never mind

[Yanal]

Why are you saying nevermind to Gators post?

[wth1257]

Why are you saying nevermind to Gators post?

I had said something rude but decided just to edit it. So when I edited it I said "never mind" that's all :)