THE TELEGRAPH: President Barack Obama has declared that "the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam" and spoken of his "deep appreciation for the Islamic faith" in a speech to Turkey's parliament.
"So let me say this as clearly as I can: the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam," he said.
Many Americans "have lived in a Muslim-majority country – I know, because I am one of them" Obama, on the first stop of a two-day trip to Turkey, his first as president to a Muslim country, said earlier that the U.S. and Turkey can forge a "model partnership" that bridges the religious and cultural divide between the western world and the predominantly Muslim east.
The US leader was introduced to the parliament as "Barack Hussein Obama"
In a speech that celebrated the cultural ties and shared history between American and Turkey, Obama said their alliance has made the world "more secure." He pledged to give U.S. support to combat the "terrorist activities" of the Kurdish separatist movement, the PKK, winning applause from lawmakers. The U.S. is prepared to be a partner to help work through the issue of Armenian massacres in 1915, and "strongly supports" Turkish membership of the European Union, Obama said. >>> By Toby Harnden in Ankara | Monday, April 6, 2009
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Our partnership with the Muslim world is critical, says Barack Obama: US president tells Turkish parliament US is not and never will be at war with Islam >>> | Monday, April 6, 2009
TELEGRAPH BLOGS – Iain Martin: Barack Obama Really Does Go On a Bit
Isn't it time for him to go home yet? It is good, in theory, that the new President of the United States is taking so much time to tour Europe. He arrived in London last Tuesday, has been to Strasbourg, Prague yesterday and now he's off to Turkey. It shows, I suppose, that he cares about the outside world and that is 'A Good Thing'. But his long stay means that we are hearing rather a lot from him, way too much in fact.
His speeches have long under-delivered, usually leaving a faintly empty sensation in this listener even though I welcomed, moderately, his victory last year as offering the possibility of a fresh start and a boost to confidence.
Yet, we are told that he is a great orator and in one way he certainly is. He does have a preternatural calm in the spotlight and a mastery of the cadences we associate with the notable speakers in US history - such as JFK and MLK. But beyond that, am I alone in finding him increasingly to be something of a bore?
His performance at the first press conference in London with Gordon Brown featured moments in which he sparkled - his riff on loving the Queen was a high-point. But most of the serious answers that I listened to were interminable, windy and not very impressive. At points there were pauses so long that it appeared he had simply lost his train of thought.
Today, we were treated to another set-piece Obama speech, and my didn't he go on a bit? The crowd in Prague was huge, and initially wildly enthusiastic, but what he served up was not any more impressive than his damp squib in Berlin last year. Is there a computer which churns this stuff out for him? >>>
