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Obama Seeks 'New Beginning' for US, Muslims

Calls for end to 'cycle of suspicion and discord'

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 4, 2009 6:06 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Speaking in Cairo, President Obama called for a “new beginning” for the US and the Muslim world, the BBC reports. The “cycle of suspicion and discord must end,” he said at Cairo University, urging a “sustained effort...to respect one another and seek common ground.” Acknowledging that “no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust,” he said “we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts.”

Obama called the US bond with Israel “unbreakable,” but noted that the “situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable.” Pointing to the Iraq war, he said “no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.” He said the US wasn’t looking to establish permanent bases in Iraq or Afghanistan. “Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire.”

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Thursday, June 4, 2009.
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Thursday, June 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Barack Obama waves to the audience as he arrives at the podium at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, June 4, 2009.
President Barack Obama waves to the audience as he arrives at the podium at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, June 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Thursday, June 4, 2009. In his speech, President Obama called for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims, declaring that this cycle of suspicion and discord must end. The address was designed to reframe relations after the...
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Thursday, June 4, 2009. In his speech, President Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims", declaring...   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Obama speaks at Cairo University, Thursday, June 4, 2009. Obama called for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims, declaring this cycle of suspicion and discord must end.
President Obama speaks at Cairo University, Thursday, June 4, 2009. Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims", declaring "this cycle of suspicion and discord must end".   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Thursday, June 4, 2009.
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Thursday, June 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America’s commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons. - President Obama

America does not presume to know what is best for everyone. - President Obama

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 13 comments
Suzylnn
Jun 4, 2009 12:48 PM CDT
President Obama is genuine, peaceable, and a nice man, presiding in a fake, violent, untrusting wicked world, you do the math"! Revelation 12:12, Daneil 2:44
ABO_2012
Jun 4, 2009 11:50 AM CDT
Chairman Barry is truly naive. The radical muslims cannot be reasoned with because they are blinded by their hatred of anything which doesn't fit their skewed view of the world. Maybe they should spend their resources on improving the lives of muslims instead of randomly killing civilians so they can get the 72 virgin payoff.
Corona_Kinq
Jun 4, 2009 7:29 AM CDT
Honestly? Bil Ayers? The "dangerous" acclaimed education professor. Even the right wingers stopped going after Obama on that. Why? because if you're doing guilt by association then every student in Chicago who took a class from Bill Ayers wouldn't be able to run for public office...because every one of them would have met with Ayers more than Obama has. What you "KNOW" is still an opinion.

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Islam • Middle East • Muslims • Cairo • speech • keynote speech • President Obama

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