Obama's Cairo speech

And I'm also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalaamu alaykum.

The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars.

We'll open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new science envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, grow new crop

This issue has been a source of tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

It was innovation in Muslim communities -- (applause) -- it was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease s

Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims.

Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating.

That's why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's interfaith dialogue and Turkey's leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations.

That's why I'm committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat.

That's why the United States government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab and to punish those who would deny it.

More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations.

And any nation -- including Iran -- should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims, as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights.

That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all of our troops from Iraq by 2012.

They have fought in our wars, they have served in our government, they have stood for civil rights, they have started businesses, they have taught at our universities, they've excelled in our sports arenas, they've won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch.

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people -- Muslims and Christians -- have suffered in pursuit of a homeland.

The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms.

Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."

When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations.

Let me also address the issue of Iraq.

We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world -- tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate.

We are taking concrete actions to change course.

Instead, they overlap, and share common principles -- principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims, as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich.

So America will defend itself, respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law.

More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations.

I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions.

Fear that because of modernity we lose control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly our identities -- those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions, and our faith.

All this has bred more fear and more mistrust.

For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning; and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement.

And finally, the Arab states must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibilities.

As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and at the fall of dusk.

There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground.

Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together.

We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal, and we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words -- within our borders, and around the world.

And I'm also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalaamu alaykum.

And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America; invest in online learning for teachers and children around the world; and create a new online network, so a young person in Kansas can communicate instantly with a young person in Cairo.

I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States, and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't.

Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation.

The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim-majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai.

America's strong bonds with Israel are well known.

We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition.

And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights.

There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals, and our need to work together.

That's why the United States government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab and to punish those who would deny it.

And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States.

The obligations -- the obligations that the parties have agreed to under the road map are clear.

That's why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's interfaith dialogue and Turkey's leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations.

The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.

This bond is unbreakable.

But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world that we seek -- a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God's children are respected.

Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support.

Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation.

I'm a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims.

It was innovation in Muslim communities -- (applause) -- it was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed.

The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights.

When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience.

And I'm also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalaamu alaykum.

Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail.

It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end.

Just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security; neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank.

Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit -- for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear.

And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken.

I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point.

And when the first Muslim American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers -- Thomas Jefferson -- kept in his personal library.

It was Islam -- at places like Al-Azhar -- that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment.

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich.

We'll open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new science envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, grow new crops.

I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions.