In parliament, president calls for greater partnership with Islamic world
ANKARA, Turkey - Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, declared Monday the United States "is not at war with Islam" and called for a greater partnership with the Islamic world.
Addressing the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important U.S. ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al Qaida as extremists who did not represent the vast majority of Muslims.
"Let me say this as clearly as I can," Obama said. "The United States is not 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."
Al Jazeera and Al Arabiyia, two of the biggest Arabic satellite channels, carried Obama's speech live.
'Not at war with Islam'
Obama acknowledged in his speech that relations between the United States and the Muslim world has been strained. So he said, "Let me say this as clearly as I can: The United States is not at war with Islam."
(Someone better tell the muslim world who has been at war with us since 1979. What the fuck was 9/11? An Air Traffic Controller mistake? THIS MAN WILL GET US ALL KILLED. -- mr)
In fact, Obama said, the partnership between the U.S. and the Muslim world is critical in rolling back what he called a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject.
"America's relationship with the Muslim world cannot and will not be based on opposition to al Qaida," 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," Obama said.
Obama also said, to a round of applause, that the United States supports Turkey becoming a member of the European Union.
Tribute to nation's founder
Earlier on Monday, Obama paid tribute to the memory of modern Turkey's founding father.
"I'm honored to pay tribute to his name," Obama said at wreath-laying ceremony during a morning visit to the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The tomb is a large limestone, columned complex on the top of a high hill with a dramatic view of Turkey's capital city.
Obama stood at a podium and wrote in a guest book for nearly four minutes.
Obama's visit is being closely watched by an Islamic world that harbored deep distrust of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
Obama was spending two days in Turkey as he wraps up an event-packed, eight-day international trip that also saw stops in Britain, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.
In his inaugural address in January, Obama pledged to reach out to the Muslim world.
At a luncheon Sunday for leaders of the European Union's 27 nations in Prague, he said the West should seek greater cooperation and closer ties with Islamic nations. He suggested one way was by allowing Turkey to join the European Union — a contentious subject for some European countries. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said after Obama's remarks that the decision was the EU's to make, not Washington's.
Americans remain unsure of what to make of Islam even as most people in the United States think Obama should seek better relations with the Muslim world, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. About 55 percent of Americans say they lack a good, basic understanding of the religion, the poll found, and 48 percent have an unfavorable view of it.
Turkey is a member of both the G-20 and NATO and is trying to get into the EU with the help of the United States.
‘Great advantage’
Turkey has the largest army in NATO after the United States. It and tiny Albania, recently admitted, are the only predominate Muslim members of NATO.
"Obama starts with a great advantage because his name is not George Bush," said Bulent Aliriza, director of the Turkey Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.
While Bush was extremely unpopular in Turkey and the Islamic world, "there's a sense of goodwill toward the United States — and particularly toward President Obama. And the entire Islamic world will be watching" Monday's speech to the Turkish Grand National Assembly,
Aliriza said.
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