President Obama: US-Muslim Mistrust Must End

[Turborama]

Building on his Cairo speech, the US president said much more needs to be done to repair frayed US-Muslim relations.
Last Modified: Nov 10 2010 02:34 EST


Obama hailed Indonesia as an example of successful religious co-existence

Delivering a keynote speech in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, the US president has said much more needs to be done to repair frayed US relations with the Muslim world.

Barack Obama addressed a 6,000-strong audience, mainly students, at the national university in the capital, Jakarta, on Wednesday. "Just as individuals are not defined solely by their faith, Indonesia is defined by more than its Muslim population," he said. "But we also know that relations between the United States and Muslim communities have frayed over many years. As president, I have made it a priority to begin to repair these relations."

Obama, who spent four years in Indonesia as a young boy, praised the world's most populous Muslim nation as an example of successful religious co-existence. "Even as this land of my youth has changed in so many ways, those things that I learned to love about Indonesia - that spirit of tolerance that is written into your constitution, symbolised in your mosques and churches and temples, and embodied in your people - still lives on," he said.

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Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from Jakarta, said Obama's speech went down very well in Indonesia. "In just 30 minutes, he managed to win over nearly all of the 230 million Indonesians . They're totally overwhelmed by the way he gave that speech," she said.

"Lots of positive reaction so far, not a single negative reaction I've heard."

More, including reactions on Twitter: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/11/2010111042129125441.html

Related OP: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x516859">President Obama's Trip To 'Muslim' Indonesia - Why Stereotypes Don't Work & How He Didn't Stereotype

Hissyspit has posted the full speech here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x523866

[Skittles]

1. stop the wars; that might help

[lamp_shade]

2. I don't think I could be prouder. Thank you.