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President Obama's Islam Message
Delights Muslims
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President Obama's Islam Message Delights Muslims
by Muhammed Qasim, IslamOnline correspondent
April 7, 2009
WASHINGTON - Leading Muslim organizations and community leaders welcomed President Barack Obama's assertion that Islam is not the enemy, hoping this would be reflected in policy changes on the domestic front as well.
"We appreciate President Obama's positive initiatives on the international front," Dr. Agha Saeed, chairman of the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT), a coalition of major national Islamic organizations, told IslamOnlin.net.
"The statement is very much welcomed, this is a wonderful statement."
Obama seized upon his visit to Turkey, his first to a Muslim country since assuming office, to bridge the gap between the US and the Muslim world.
"Let me say this as clearly as I can: The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam," he told the Turkish parliament on Monday, April 6.
Obama vowed a new way of dealing with the Muslim world.
"We will listen carefully, bridge misunderstanding, and seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree."
The AMT held a press conference Monday at Washington's National Press Club to comment on the visit.
"This is a very important message to the American people, to the West and to the Muslim World in general," said Nihad Awad, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
"This is important to restore relations with the Muslims, which were damaged in the past eight years through wars, confrontation and a lot of misconception and misunderstanding."
America's relations with the Muslim world hit all time low under wartime Bush. |
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