U.S. President Barack Obama reached out to the Islamic world on Thursday, calling for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" and tackling a host of controversial issues.
Obama was speaking at Cairo University after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The address was designed to set a new tone in post-9-11 relations between Washington and the Muslim world.
Obama even quoted the Qur'an for emphasis in the wide-ranging speech.
He touched on issues including nuclear proliferation, women's rights, tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and the fight against al Qaeda.
But the key message was that while the U.S. is at war with terrorism, it is a friend to Muslims.
"America is and never will be at war with Islam," Obama said, repeating a point he recently made in Ankara, Turkey.
"We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a great threat to our security because we reject the same things that people of all faiths reject -- the killing of innocent men, women and children. And it is my first duty as president to protect the American people."
Obama said the "cycle of suspicion" and discord must end, and said negative stereotypes on the part of both Muslims around the world, and Americans, are equally damaging to both groups.
He also said America must shoulder some of the blame for poor relations with the Islamic world, saying tensions have been fuelled by "colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations."
Obama received loud applause when he spoke about the Middle East peace process, noting his support for a two-state solution and calling for an end to Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories.
However, he said the U.S. is a firm ally to Israel and the two nations have an unbreakable bond.
On women's rights, Obama challenged Muslim leaders to improve their track record and said "a woman who is denied an education is denied equality."
"I am convinced our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons," he said.
He also lamented the ongoing military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan saying the U.S. does not want to keep troops in those countries and has no desire to establish military bases there.
"It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue these conflicts," he said.
"We would gladly bring every one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and now Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can, but that is not the case."
Obama is in the middle of a four-nation trip to the Middle East and Europe. Before arriving in Cairo he visited Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Abdullah.
His trip coincided with a new audio message from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. In the recording, bin Laden said Obama angered Muslims by ordering Pakistan to take action against militants in the Swat Valley and block Islamic law in the region.
Allan J. Lichtman, author and presidential historian at American University, said Obama managed to send a positive signal of friendship to the Muslim world, while also holding them accountable on issues like women's rights.
"But perhaps the most important thing about this speech is that it was delivered at all, in the heart of the Arab world, by a president who acknowledged his own Muslim heritage, who acknowledged the importance of Muslims in the United States and who genuinely is reaching out for a new beginning," Lichtman said.
CTV's Washington Bureau Chief Paul Workman said no new policies were revealed in Obama's speech. But Workman said the address was elegant, understated and carefully crafted to convince Muslims that the U.S. president is their friend and ally.
"Will the Muslim world believe him? It's going to have to be followed up by some pretty strong action. Obama himself has said one speech is not enough to make a difference," Workman told CTV's Canada AM.
