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DUBAI (AlArabiya.net) Following are some of President Barack Obama's quotes about issues concerning Muslims:  | On Islam *Obama in an email message to "The Caucus", Jun. 18, 2008, on veiled Muslim girls being barred from picture incident:
"This is obviously an anomaly, but we have apologized and are going to indeed work to ensure that this situation doesn’t happen again."
*Obama to a French magazine, Jan. 1, 2009:
"Once I'm elected, I want to organize a summit in the Muslim world, with all the heads of state, to have an honest discussion about ways to bridge the gap that grows every day between Muslims and the West."
"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."
*Obama to Al Arabiya in his first interview as president, 27 Jan. 2009,:
" My job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives. My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy."
"I'm not going to agree with everything that some Muslim leader may say, or what's on a television station in the Arab world -- but I think that what you'll see is somebody who is listening, who is respectful, and who is trying to promote the interests not just of the United States, but also ordinary people who right now are suffering from poverty and a lack of opportunity."
"What we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations -- whether Muslim or any other faith in the past -- that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name." | | On war "After Jan. 20 I'm going to have plenty to say about the issue, and I am not backing away at all from what I said during the campaign, that starting at the beginning of our administration, we are going to be engaged effectively and consistently in trying to resolve the conflict in the Middle East. That's something I am committed to."
"We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan." | | On mutual respect *Obama to Turkish Parliament, 6 Apr. 2009:
"Our focus will be on what we can do, in partnership with people across the Muslim world, to advance our common hopes, and our common dreams. And when people look back on this time, let it be said of America that we extended the hand of friendship."
" I have made it clear to the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic that the United States seeks engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect."
" I also want to be clear that America’s relationship with the Muslim work cannot and will not be based on opposition to al Qaeda. Far from it. We seek broad engagement based upon mutual interests and mutual respect. We will listen carefully, bridge misunderstanding, and seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree." |
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