Do you think Obama's speech will improve the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world?

No, we must continue to ATTACK TERRORISTS, in anyplace in the world. War is what the terrorists thugs understand, to stop fighting them only emboldens them to more and more violence.

Leaving the Afghan people to the Taliban is not a solution. We finally have the Pakistanis taking the threat posed by Al Qaeda seriously. Now is not the time to jump ship on them. Afghanistan and Pakistan (along with Gitmo) still house the people resposible for Sept 11, 2001. There is work still to be done there. 8 years after the attacks on our homeland, we are finally making the necessary push to get the guys who did it.

IMO the way to finally make progress with the Arab world is to address Israeli aggression in the W. Bank. They must stop expanding settlements. Unfortunately, the Israelis don't even have a partner to negotiate with. Gaza and the W. Bank are not even controlled by the same government. We can thank GWB for that one. He pressed Palestinian elections when even the Israelis said it was not the time. Hamas won and the rest is history.

Outstanding speech and he is right on so many levels, the hot headed call to arms on all sides has to stop. Bloodshed begats more bloodshed. The Israelis and Palestines need to work together. Extremism of all kinds (including here at home) has to be isolated and restrained. We need to work together for the common good.

This is fantastic. He's a better Christian than most Republicans.

Now that makes sense it's about time when people make comments that have positive results Realistic meanings .

Can anyone explain to me why we care what Middle Easterners/Muslims think about the U.S.?

Maybe I am an elitist, but I could care less what happens in the Middle East.

I can not share what I really feel about it, but suffice it to say, I agree with Howard Stern on the Middle East.

Awesome! Karen from LA is back to enlighten us! WOOHOO! What do you really feel Karen?

Karen is not an elitist - you must be capable of indipendant thought to belong to an elite. Karen is the parrot of Howard Stern.

Hum...no wonder CA is so messed up! Surfs up!

Would you people let Karen speak for herself. When that happens, she is absolutely a HOOT! Karen, if you had a machine gun with unlimited bullets and the entire middle-east in front of you, what would you do?

I missed it. Was the teleprompter functioning ok? At best, it's just a speech. With Obama, watch what he does. Forget what he says.

These teleprompter jibes always baffle me. No politician in the last years has spoken without a teleprompter or notes. The difference with Obama is that he writes or at the very least, has a big hand in writing his own speeches, and when he speaks off the cuff he does so thoughtfully and well. His predecessor used inflammatory rhetoric to pander to the right , simplistic terminology to appeal to all the nitwits out there and never demonstrated the kind of intellectual vigour or honesty that Obama shows. I agree that actions speak louder than words, but what's wrong with making people feel hopeful, included and inspired to make the world a better place?

Ann...Obama gives a great speech and your right with regard to the teleprompter, and the fact that there is nothing wrong with giving people hope. However, IMHO, when he talks of the cuff, his stammering, ums, the drawn-out and over used "and", long pauses and the lack of clear answers do bother me. At least he doesn't make up words as he goes along.

of course he wants muslins to be show in a good light! remember he is a muslin and when north korea comes bombing the us what will you democates do and who will you blame then????? and it is not just north korea that the united states of america shoud be concerned about.

Wow such namecalling. It doesn't matter if someone is a nut, lets keep things civil. I think this a good first step towards getting world dialogue going again. Lets remember something, the last time we were completely isolationist, things spiraled out of control and World War II happened. I don't like the fact that America is the world police, but when you're the leader you take it from all sides.

CONCERNED US AMERICAN CITIZEN

of course he wants muslins to be show in a good light! remember he is a muslin and when north korea comes bombing the us...

Are Muslims in power in North Korea? This comment sounds like a ranting diatribe of a far right-wing nut. Americans should be equally concerned (or more so) with people with your mentality than terrorist from other countries because you are in our country right now! I hope you don't own a gun but I bet you do. You own many guns, right? Obama is trying to better our standing in the world and with respect comes strength.

I think the lives of our people and soldiers are much more "precious" than a few dollars. Freedom isn't free, its costs precious lives....and the dollar cost is irrelevant. I'd rather spend money on bullets as opposed to giving it to worthless people whose only contribution to society is looking for another handout, and wasting oxygen........I just thank God every day that the lunatics on the left weren't around in sufficent numbers on June 6,1944 complain, otherwise we'd all be speaking German or Japanese.

Our President deserves our support and praise

Our President deserves our support. He has not yet earned our praise. I hope he does.

One speech will not change the situation in the Middle East. The Muslim world needs to come together on their own and not live in the past. That part of the world has been at war for thousands of years. One speech is only a drop in the bucket to a peaceful end. It's up to them to follow through. Frankly, I don't see that happening. The Islamic extremists are set in their ways and will never change until their goal is achieved. Israel will always be a target. It will never end.

The radical muslim's arent going to listen to Obuma even with his teleprompters on full appologyze mode.

I feel so honored and humbled to have an outstanding human being like Obama for President of the United States of America. His words, so balanced and historically accurate, touched my heart.

May God bless our President and our Nation now and always.

I really miss the days of having a president who made up words and couldn't form a coherent sentence. Bush sounded like a cowboy -- salt of the earth Americana! That bravado is what we need. Not somebody who seeks peace and apologizes for our imperialism. We want imperialism, and we need someone who threatens the world and makes them quake in fear. Only a true Christian would understand the need to destroy the planet. Bring on the second coming!!!

Obama, not Obuma apologize, not apologyze

There's a tiny little button above your text box labeled ABC. Try it out!

"Dorko1" is the best screen name I've seen in a long time.

snk, do you not read who is helping the Koreans , its Iran and they are MUslim. O is a laughing stock, he thinks that these nuts will fawn all over him like our nuts do . I think he has another think coming because they are laughing up their sleeves as he speaks.

Debbie - that was great!! Thanks for the laugh! Actually, Bush Jr. reminded me of Alfred E. Newman from MAD magazine every time he spoke...does anyone remember that?

As for Obama's speech, it was well done and a very good beginning. He has the best speechwriter...a young guy in his 20's I believe that was a literature major in college, who knows how to weave history and literature together beautifully! And Obama is an amazing orator when he's reading off of a teleprompter. He's not very eloquent on his own...he stumbles a lot...but right now the world needs someone that can present the U.S. more intelligently and he does that quite well. My only criticism of the speech was that he made no mention of the Palestinian plight and only made a brief reference of them at the very end.

CONCERNED US AMERICAN CITIZEN,

1. Look up the word muslin you use so freely.

2. What is a demacate?

3. If you don't know enough to capitalize North Korea, at least have the respect for your own country to capitalize the United States of America!

Susan, you are confused

do you not read who is helping the Koreans , its Iran and they are MUslim.

It is the other way around. North Korea can't feed themselves, but they have EXCELLENT nuclear scientists and they have invested everything they can to build nuclear weapons. Their scientists are better than the ones in Tehran, and their program is far more advanced. They are also racist and paranoid. They do not need, nor would they want, Iran's help.

North Korea's technology is home grown. Iran built their nuclear program on technology smuggled from PAKISTAN, not North Korea.

Iran has no desire to sell their weapons. They are the only Shi'ite dominated Muslim country. Who would they sell the weapons to? (No, susan, it is not true that Muslims are all alike). Mostly, they would threaten Israel (but using them on Tel Aviv would dump fallout onto Jerusalem. Muslims revere Jerusalem, so don't expect Nuclear Winter, Tehran style, any time soon).

North Korea has no desire to use their weapons. Using them on South Korea would be suicide and they don't hate anyone else. No, they are in the manufacturing business. They intend to sell them to Syria, Egypt, and others for cold cash. That is far more dangerous. Osama Bin Laden cannot buy nukes from Iran (He is radical Sunni. Tehran hates Bin Laden), but he can definitely buy them from North Korea (assuming he could raise the cash).

Get your facts straight.

We have far more to fear from North Korea than we do from Iran.

Daniel, are you serious? Really? These people protected Bin Laden and company for years and refused to give him up after 9/11. The Taliban is still killing other Afgans, Pakistanis and Americans in their Holy war. And your solution is to not fight them? Get real. Not fighting them during the Clinton years is what got us here in the first place.

will the muslims lay down the koran. no they will not and it teaches that you either become a muslim or they slay you just hope when they come to usa they get these dumocrats first who are selling the usa out.

You are sick -- our president is NOT SELLING OUT OUR COUNTRY, but people like you need to go someplace else. What's the matter you can't spell Democrats. YEA for all the Democrats. We have a Great President and he will do everything possible to keep our country safe.

Apparently, you haven't read the Old Testament. Muslims don't have the market on fighting anyone who doesn't believe as they do. READ. AS for some of you warmongers who blame everything on "devil worshippers", Muslims believe in God and abhore the devil. You are ignorant of the facts. They hate each other...Shiites ...Sunnis...That's why Hussein hated Osama BinLaden. They were polar opposites...The ignorance of our citizens never ceases to amaze me.

Obama addressed muslims, but not extremists. You need to recognize the difference. The world population of Muslims is between 1 and 1.8 billion. Only a small percentage have serious issues with the US. If we treat all Muslims as enemies we've got more enemies than we can possibly handle. Attempting to show those who aren't our enemies that we can be reasonable is hardly a show of weakness. Islamic countries control a significant portion of the world's oil (and hence, our economy). For too long it has appeared that the USA is against all Islamic countries. Indeed some posters here support that course of action, saying anything less shows weakness. But no other country in the world will assist us in such a struggle. Enlarging our enemies list from a few flaming radials to all muslims is not only racist and anti-Christian, it is a foolish and self-destructive policy for our country to follow. Referring to all muslims as anti-US is about the same as referring to all white people as racists.

Karen in Los Angeles,

I'd be happy to. Because Muslims flew planes into the Twin Towers, and the Pentagon. Because we've been fighting Muslims in Iraq, and Afghanistan for 8 yrs. Because everyday there are Muslims plotting how to kill Americans. We'd better care what they think of us.

Having followed my husband's active duty military career and living all over the world it's narrow minded people like you that give Americans living and traveling abroad a bad name. We are a country founded on religious freedoms and with that we should be tolerant of the differences of others. Not all Muslims are evil and fanatical. Unfortunately it is the few that lend a bad name to that notion. There are fanatics in all faiths, Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Christian, Jew, and so forth even here in the USA but please do not generalize. People like you scare me but you are entitled to your opinion.

Chicken; actually white people came to this country to get away from taxes and some for religious freedoms. But when the white people came to this country there were already people here - my people - the American Indians. We were slaughter, our lands stolen and we were forced to live in interm camps - you know those reservations that a lot of my people still live on.

No one has the corner market on terror and murder. The Christians do a great job all by themselves. Forcing people to believe the way of the bible or the way of the Koran or the way of the Torra - is nothing new and has been going on since man first walk the earth (if you believe in the Bible - Cain and Abel are the first).

So I guess what I am saying is If my people - the American Indians learned to live in peace with the white man - then I am sure President Obama has taken a really good first step. When the white man finally started to listen and talk with my people, the killing stopped. What say you???

Obama gave a nice speech, but once again it was virtually all nice-sounding rhetoric, with a little America bashing thrown in for good measure (I'd like to know what "colonies" we had in the middle east). Obama's Muslim roots will no doubt help in some regards though.

After the glow wears off, I suspect the Muslims will ask "What really has changed" since Obama plans to escalate the war in Afghanistan, and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is probably impossible to solve without massive U.N. intervention, which is unlikely.

RANDY-274700

Muslims hijacked the planes
Men hijacked the planes
Humans hijacked the planes

All the above are true. None of them allow you to draw sweeping conclusions about other members of those groups. (like our docter murdering pro no-choice nuts)

Terrorists are terrorists first. No matter their religion, cause, or location. Terrorists just use religions as a tool, as only religion can allow them to justify murder.

Obama's approach is brilliant. If only we can start to forget the injuries of the past, and open our hearts to a better world. This is a good start. As the president said, though, we have to be dedicated and, most of all, persistant on this path.

DeserveWhatYouGet; I don't consider these terrorists who MURDERED innocent men and women on 9/11 as humans. They should not be treated as a civil person is treated, they do NOT deserve it. Of course, when the majority of terrorist activities happen it is usually with the Islamic extremists, so it is safe for someone from the USA to be wary of Muslims.

As for those "pro no-choice nuts," you must be referring to Tiller the baby killer. Pro life people are pro-choice, they choose life not murder. Anyone who is for the KILLING of innocent babies who have no way of defending themselves should be hung out to dry. It's funny how the left abhors the war and killing of "terrorists", but they are gung ho on killing babies and are proud of it. That is soooooo sick it makes me want to puke.

Obama is an embarrassment to me and my country. I am a citizen of the United States and I have every right to say this. I am SICK, SICK, SICK of his running around in campaign mode on foreign soil trying to make everyone love him. This is NOT what the president of the United States was elected for. He is elected to take care of OUR country and to protect OUR people. I have yet to see him actually stop campaigning and do some real work for US the American people. All he has done so far is run around apologizing for America, lying about how this country was shaped (what is this crap about Muslims shaping our country, bull-s---!!!!!!) and partaking in the HUGEST, gross power grab anyone in our country has every seen the likes of.

People don't seem to understand that when Obama was running against McCain...McCain was not a candidate of choice for most, we were left with him. He ran the worst campaign ever in the country and yet he still was very close in votes behind Obama. Obama DID NOT WIN BY A HUGE AMOUNT OF VOTES. So think about this. Now that the republican/conservative party is paying attention to what this president is doing , we are not going to let him get away with it. He is IMPOSING his socialistic agenda of universal health care, cap and tax for this global warming rhetoric and trying to take over education so that he and the liberals can put their propaganda in the textbooks for what the children to believe and we WILL NOT let him get away with this. We will turn everything around when congress and senate are put back to republicans in 2010 and we will repeal the stimulus crap, universal health care, nationalizing banks, letting the UAW control the car companies. This will be repealed, mark my words.....

I agree that if it doesn't help, it'll largely be because of the neocons and theocrats on our shores, but the Muslim world has its own dogma-driven haters and warhawks, too. The challenge for us is to remember that neither set of fundamentalists represents the views of its respective culture. We only succeed here by remembering that this is not, and has never been, a "Christian nation," and that there is a range of viewpoints in Islam as well, with tension between peace-loving average citizens and trigger-happy loons eager, as are ours, to bring on the Apocalypse.

I don't know what country you are talking about , but the United States of American was definatly founded on Judeo Christain beliefs...

Um, Susie, if you will study your US history, you will learn that many of the founders of this country were not Christians, they were Deists, and did everything they could think of to assure that the foundation of this country was secular, religiously neutral, and based on principles of fairness regardless of religious persuasion. This nation owes far more to Locke and de Tocqueville than to the Bible. This was the first, and remains to this day the greatest, secular nation on earth.

You are wrong... There has always been Muslims fighting Muslims and the rest of the world. There are those that do believe in peace. Then there are those that are extremests and radicals that only believe in what their supposed god tells them, that they are his to command and control and all others should be abolishedand killed. I have friends that are Muslim, they are good people. Look at Isreal and Saudi Arabia, they are our friends. At one time Iraq and Iran "liked us" and some still do. All of this has been going on throughout history, not only during the Bush/Chaney administration. People seem to forget about what happened on 9/11 and that they demanded reaction from our president at that time. I am not saying that I completely agree with the actions that took place, but something had to be done. Since that time, the U.S. has not been attacked on our own soil, athough many attempts were made, but thwarted by our government agencies.

Wow, that would explain the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran during the Carter Administration. The bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut under Reagen, The numerous embassy bombings, the USS Cole bombing, and the first WTC bombing during the Clinton Administration. All celbrated in Palestine, Syria, Iran, Jordan and much of Saudi. Yeppers, the Bush/Cheney boys did a lot to destroy America's image in the Middle East. Keep drinling the Kool-Aid, you will soon achieve Nirvana.

The "Global Lincoln"?

So a man who's been president for what 5 months, now deserves to be compared to one of our nation's greatest presidents...I don't think so!

There have always been Christians fighting Christians, Jews fighting Jews, Hindus fighting Hindus.

There have not been terrorist attacks in America since 9/11. However, there have also not been alien attacks. I just don't put much stock in no terrorist attacks=good government policy. It doesn't work like that. A perfect example was the shoe bomber. The guy didn't even have a detonatable device and had limited or no connections to Al Qaeda. Now we all have to take our shoes off, when there was never an actual threat from shoes.

DaveNM

YOU need to check history. Susie is correct.

Yes.

As long as our government continues to blindly support Apartheid Israel with taxpayer money and weapons, there will never be any improvement in US-Arab relations.

The issue is pretty simple. Israel represents racism, theft, and murderers. Why would our government continue to support such criminals?

The pro-Israel Lobby in Washington needs to be broken once and for all. These criminal lobbyists have manipulated our country for far too long.

Long Live Palestine and the courageous Palestinian people !!!

There are two waterdogs now? Or are there 49 of them?

Bush/Cheney certainly didn't do us any favors, but Muslim hatred toward the west goes well beyond their oddministration. There are countless examples of Muslim aggression (acts of terror) against the US and/or US interests dating back to the late 1940's, certainly, these acts escalated during the late 60's and on to today. Let's not forget even before the 1940's many of the Muslim nations were aligned with the Nazi Germany and then in strategic alliances with the former Soviet Union.

Simply calling out Bush/Cheney is oversimplifying the problem and very short-sighted.

Karen in L.A.: Your post seems to have been prematurely cut off. Would you please repost with specifics, preferably with supporting sources, as to how anything I said was incorrect?

Read what j.a. saah writes...there's your explanation for why there will never be peace in the Middle East...that's not a Bush/Cheney problem. Let's get beyond playing the blame game...it serves no purpose and resolves nothing.

Karen - have you read The Age of Reason? Just curious.

Too funny. How long does the community organizer extraordinaire get to blame his failures on Bushie and Dickie C? Can his whole term be nothing but failure after failure and he still get a pass because of Georgie Porgie?

I am SO SICK AND TIRED of the argument that "Bush kept us safe since 9/11" - ridiculous logic. That means that every other administration who happened to be in office that coincided with the fact that we happened to not have an attack was actively doing something to disuade such attacks and should get credit? Of course not. Even the threats that Shrub often likes to talk about since 9/11 (the bridge, etc.) have been discredited as not even possible or probable. Even Master Liar of the Universe Cheney now admits there was no link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11. I wish people would get their history right and stop believing the BS that the Bush Administration has been spewing for the last 8 years... Anyone with half a brain can figure out that whole group is in heavy "CYA" mode with their revisionist history...

When did Cheney say that there was a link between Hussein and 9-11? If you can provide the quote I'd like to see it.

The hate for the United States of America was not brought on by the past administration. Perhaps you have forgotten that the world trade center was bombed in 1993 and then again, only 9 months after Bush entered office.

The true reason why we are hated in the Middle East is not due to the war in Iraq, it is because our Nation was found on Christian values and we support Israel in their fight for existence.

We will learn once again that radicalism is deeply seated in the Middle Eastern countries and will continue for years to come. The Presidents speech may help calm things momentarily, but it will never quell the deep hatred for Christians and Jews.

The rebublicans blamed Clinton for four years......its been 4-months!

to RKB123: Google the date June 18, 2004 - its actually is too long to put here and I don't think I'm allowed to posts links on this site yet, but it is in response to the 9/11 Commission report and he uses the words "overwhelming evidence" of their connection and that anyone who says otherwise is "irresponsible" - Of course NOW he's saying he never said that, but it's funny I guess neither he nor Bush realize that everything is 'out there' forever...

Spoken like a true "Crusader"!

Thanks for the info. As I thought, Cheney never said there a link to Iraq and 9-11.

Hey Robert Morgan Wingnut, so, the way I understand it, Obama goes off to the Middle East to give a butt smooching speech and if this sucking up doesn't work, it's Bush & Cheney's fault??? You are posting satire here right? I mean, how can you come to such an asinine conclusion. If it works it's due to Obama, but if it doesn't work it's Bush/Cheney's fault? Sir, do you actually possess a level of education beyond the 5th grade? Come on now, people like you need to stop these sophomoric double standards. I guess when Obama completely obliterates what is left of this once great country, it will somehow be Bush/Cheney's fault too, right! God help us all.

Karen in LA, you are the one who is wrong (as usual) and Dave in NM is 100% correct. The Founding Fathers rejected the Judeo-Christian ethnological tradition.

I doubt you have even heard of John Locke, let alone read his Treatises on Government. But even you have heard of these American patriots and Founding Fathers. Some quotes:

Thomas Paine:
"Every person, of whatever religious denomination he may be, is a DEIST in the first article of his Creed. Deism, from the Latin word Deus, God, is the belief of a God, and this belief is the first article of every man's creed...The creation is the Bible of the true believer in God. Everything in this vast volume inspires him with sublime ideas of the Creator. The little and paltry, and often obscene, tales of the Bible sink into wretchedness when put in comparison with this mighty work. The Deist needs none of those tricks and shows called miracles to confirm his faith..."

Ethan Allen:
"Denominated a Deist, the reality of which I have never disputed, being conscious that I am no Christian."

Benjamin Franklin:
"...Some books against Deism fell into my hands....It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quote to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations, in short, I soon became a thorough Deist."

and Franklin also wrote:

"I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of....Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and of my own part, I disbelieve them all."

James Madison:
"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise....During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution."

John Adams:
"The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."

and:

'this would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.'"

Thomas Jefferson:
"Christianity...[has become] the most perverted system that ever shone on man....Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and importers led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus."

and:

"...that our civil rights have no dependence on religious opinions, any more than our opinions in physics and geometry."

And George Washington himself never once mentioned Jesus Christ and never expressed an affinity towards Christianity. He was a deist who referenced Providence, but never a Christian God. He never discussed religion at all, rarely went to church and eventually stopped going altogether.

Now, don't go confusing a right-wing idealogue with facts!

Susie and Karen in L.A., you really do need to read your history (as Dave in NM suggests and as JustAThought8 has demonstrated); you're relying on stereotypes, and you are simply, factually wrong.

JustAThought: I bow deeply in your direction, with great gratitude, and cut-and-paste for refutation of future unfounded dogma.

These people in the mid-east dont know anyother way to live they have fought since the beginning of time and will never stop, who does O think he is , he has started believeing his own biased press. They laugh at him andd our country. Iran will not stop untill we are all dead or they take us over and force us to be MUSLIM, they want to cause chaos so their Imam can come back and wont stop untill the world is destroyed. O is wasteing his time and great presence on them. Why doesnt he stay home and see what a wreck he has caused in our country.

Oh, Susan, Susan, Susan...you poor thing. I BEG of you to please stop listening to all the fear-mongering right wing crazies out there (Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, etc.) You are just spewing nonsense that Bush's Administration put out there to justify their behavior. No one wants to convert you by force to their religion any more than those LDS or Jehovah Witness people do when they come by your door. Talk about someone who wan't take "no" for an answer! Geez... And for argument's sake, exactly what "wreck" has OBAMA caused in our country? I think your fingers were on the wrong keys and you meant to type Bush, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, Rice, but certainly not Obama - he's trying to clean the mess up!!!

aohguy - muslim hatred of the west had something to do the west being in their back yards for oil and power - with first Europe, then Britain, and now USA meddling in their homelands -

Let's start with the crusades.......... then in the 20th century 'til now -

1. occupation 2. WWI & WWII 3. dividing up their land into countries that suited us - not them or their traditions (Kuwait was originally part of Iraq, e.g.) (ever seen Lawrence of Arabia?) 4. taking over their natural resources and not sharing the wealth with them 5. giving land to form the state of Israel that was not the west's to give 6. overthrowing a democratically elected goverrnment in Iran and placing the Shah in power 7. overthrowing a democratically elected government in Iraq and placing a despot in power who would allow oil to flow freely to us 8. arming the Israelis 9. providing financial support to the Israelis 10. looking the other way when Israel bombed Iran 11. looking the other way when Israel invaded Lebanon and dropped clustere bombs 12. looking the other way as Israel settles over 300,000 people in Palestine

Yep - lots of healing to do based on lots of injury caused by the west. Small wonder they don't trust us. It's a long history of no respect and aggression by the West. I don't agree with them on many things, but then we should stay home and leave them alone.

Would you have liked it if they had come over here and done the same to us? I doubt it.

DaveNM

YOU are incorrect. Susie is correct.

Anyone else who disagrees with Susie and I - go to the library. NOT Wikipedia.

Have a nice day.

Wow, Karen - your posts just keep getting cut off. And now you've got JustAThought's raft of actual quotes to deal with. You are so certain of your position - I would think you would be eager to support it.

I'll wait. I'm patient.

Dorfy: I think our appreciation for the historical points are the same, but our perspective is different. Furthermore, you need to acknowledge that Pre-Israel many, if not most of the decisions impacting the middle east were driven by the British, not the U.S. (Yes I sawLawrence of Arabia, but I prefer to get my facts and history from text books not movies. I've also read Seven Pillars, Evolution of a Revolt and parts of Thomas Lawrence's collection of letters, part of a college project back in the 70's.)

By the way, the last I checked, the U.S. wasn't around during the Crusades. I do agree that we should leave them alone, but this last round of provocation was the result of them coming over here and doing the "same" to us.

1. At what point in history prior to 9/11 did the U.S. occupy and held the Middle East?

2. I think I mentioned WWI and WWII, (and the Cold War) the allied themselves with our enemies and the British occupied their land.

3. I believe I covered that, Balfour Declaration of 1917 laid the groundwork for the creation of Israel and the separation of land by kingdoms and tribal claims (those pesky Brits again.)

4. Not sharing the wealth - LOL - explain to me how the Saudi royal family became so rich then? Shall we talk about the other Middle Eastern royal families as well?

5. See #3

6. I agree with you on this point.

7. Yes, you can vote as long as it for me. Democracy?

8. That's like saying Puerto Rico should hate Finland, because the Russians use to supply them with weapons. If you recall your history, most if not all weapons Israel received were French. It wasn't until after the 6 Day War that the U.S. became the predominant benefactor of weapons. Furthermore, the former Soviet Union supplied weapons to all other Arab countries (with the exception of Lebanon) and there was that little frost between the U.S. and the Soviets going. There were a lot of strings being pulled over there, not just by us.

9. Hum, maybe if they had a vast reserve of Natural resources that the rest of the Middle East has, they wouldn't need financial support. Have you ever asked yourself, with all the wealth in the Middle East, why is it the Palestinians receive so little help from within the region? Now that would piss me off.

10. Just like the rest of the world looking the other way when Israel is attacked? 6 Day War, Yom Kippur War???

11. Looking the other way when hundreds of Hezbollah rockets are pouring down in civilian populations in Israel - you seem to be forgetting this is a two way street. Hezbollah, who was attempting to overthrow the democratically elected government of Lebanon.

12. Don't disagree with you on this point.

Don't take this simply as me defending Israel as much as its attempt to identify the reality of situation. There is plenty of blame to go around and it is not all Israel or the U.S.'s fault. To suggest that is foolishness. The continuance of this argument and mentality will NOT bring peace.

PEACE.

RBK123: this is an interesting thing you said:

Too funny. How long does the community organizer extraordinaire get to blame his failures on Bushie and Dickie C? Can his whole term be nothing but failure after failure and he still get a pass because of Georgie Porgie?

You ask if his term can be nothing but failure... but he has only been in term for four monhts, and he has had more SUCCESSES than Bush did in the final YEAR of his term. There is no "failure after failure." He has not yet failed.

Cheney clearly and repeatedly linked Osama Bin Laden to Saddam Hussein. He did so in about a dozen different speeches. He continued to assert a link long after it was proven that there was no link. He referenced 9/11 as the reason for invading Iraq repeatedly, which also clearly draws a link. That you are now agreeing with his revisionism is not a sign of his integrity. I cannot say why you are ignoring the truth. But I can say that the number of people who are willing to go along with Cheney's revisionism is decreasing daily.

Cheney is a cruel and manipulative man, and very likely a war criminal. Bush was an idiot and as a president, was little more than a puppet. Together, they fueled the fires of terrorism, and made it far less safe for Americans everywhere.

It takes time to put out that fire. Obama is trying. But if there is an attack in the next year, on our soil, (heaven forbid), it will be because of the hatred of the US inspired, and fueled, by Bush and Cheney and the rest of the neocons idiots.

He has not yet failed.

Sorry, I stopped reading after that gem.

RKB123 = Typical - when facts are void - credibility is lost.

I'm sorry Kerry, you are so mistaken that it is unbelievable. President Obama represents the USA, the American people, and true American values better than anyone has in quite a while. . . for sure better than the previous eight years. And that is the opinion of a 40+ year conservative Republican with ties to the Jewish community who has served his country and whose son has served in the Middle East.

Kerry: You are right to be terrified. He continues to weaken the US. Either he is unbelievably naive and foolish or he has a hidden agenda to advance Islam in the US and to throw Israel under a bus.

Kerry, I to agree that you and everyone else who thinks likes you is wrong! I am and ARAB/ AMERICAN with a Muslim Heritage., and proud out it. It never seizes to amaze me at just how ignorant a people can be, blaming it on "Muslims" is just easier then admitting one's defaults. I dont understand where a presidents "Heritage" plays a role in society today. Its a person's morals that way in more then anything. I can care less if our president was white, black, yellow, orange or blue.. I can care less if he was jewish, muslim, catholic, baptist... or doesnt believe in nothing at all... .. as long as i see that there is an effort being put in to stop the blood shed. Obviously, seeing and trying to understand things from the jewish perspective isnt working, maybe seeing things from both ends will.

Mr. Christman,we have no government anymore.  Obama says and does as he pleases

& congress is acting like a bunch of sheep.  Obviously you have no concern for the

future.  If you accept all this man is doing, you are not a conservative republican.

Thanks to you and your son for your service to the country.

The Old Line fear and hate mongering is getting really tired. Intelligent thoughts are finally here, so refreshing.

Where were you the last 8 years when Bush had full control of Congress? When Bush did everything he wanted? Including lying us into a War? Torturing? Suspending our Constitutional rights? What were you saying then?

you are so wrong here. Obama is not turning his back on Israel but he is turning his back on Israel's practice of displacing palestinians from their homes so that Jewish settlers can live there. We would not tolerate such a thing in the US, why in an ally.

We have a government, in fact much more of one than we had in the last 8 years. Obama was democratically elected and he is doing what he said he would do. Congress also was democratically elected. They are acting like they said they would when they were elected.

Stop whining. If you disagree, get more politically active but do not insult the President and Congress of my country. I didn't insult Bush or the Republican Congress, I disagreed with supported fact, but not with insulting spew. If you disagree, grow up and argue like a grown up.

Kerry don't be such a bigot. Muslims aren't the enemy, terrorists are. Following your logic we should be afraid of Lutherans, Baptists and Catholics too (McVeigh, Unibomber, IRA, Abortion Dr killer)...

Dumb.

Shame. Obama is Christian. Do your reading. We are all more alike than different.

He did not say that the US is a large Muslim country - He said that we have a large Muslim community - and we do. I think there are 6 or 7 million muslim citizens in the U. S Maybe you should pay a little more attention before you make these strange statements and conclusions.

Obama only represents the half of the population of the US that voted for him, and that % is falling by the day. I guess if the population was 10, that might be alot. Unfortunately, it means that there are millions and millions of us that think he is a danger to our country.

Rich, I couldn't have said it better myself. I pray that BO is a one-term president or else we may really be in trouble!!

Um, Rich, Rita, not to pierce any bubbles, but Obama's job approval is HIGHER than the percentage of Americans who voted for him.

He is not Muslim and never has been. He is right that the US is diverse and will become more so. Please just try and really listen to what he says and not immediatly project your own opinions.

Thanks for the service to our nation Mr.Christman, and to your son too.

When someone has to go out of their way to say that they are a conservative republican, makes me wonder. Kinda like someone insisting on how honest or how smart they are.

Kerry - As they say, the first step is to admit you have a problem, and my suspicion is that you need to turn off Fox News and/or Rush Limbaugh. You have to realize that when someone uses the phrase that there's "an agenda" - those are the two biggest culprits of them all with regard to UNfair and IMbalanced information. President Obama is not to be feared. And for you to be afraid of an entire religion because of extremists is absurd and biggoted. Just because we've had some issues with Muslims in the past, does not mean they are all terrorists! Anymore than all Christians are with Timothy McVeigh and others like him. More people have been killed in the name of "God" than for any other reason on Earth, and by EVERY religious faction there is. Stop blanketing people into groups and having so much hate in your heart. And don't be scared of Obama - Bush's group put us in complete turmoil and Obama is just trying to undue the damage they did and set us on a path of recovery. Oh, and for the millionth time - Obama isn't a Muslim --- but if he were, it wouldn't be a bad thing anyway --- he just doesn't happen to be!

Hey Axel(Rod)000, I believe your analogy is light years off base and borders along Christophobia. It always amuses me when you leftist try to make an analogy (and it seems to always end up degrading Christians...one of the most banal group of people around). And exactly who are these "so called" terrorists. Last I seem to remember they were all "Muslim". Why are you leftist so afraid to refer to these nutjobs as what they "truly" are? Now, repeat after me, they ARE Islamic/Muslim terrorist. There's nothing "bigoted" by stating the truth. Why don't you try and stop repeating the Big Brother doublespeak line.

If he's turning his back on Israel, then why would he hire Rahm Emmanuel? He is of Jewish decent!

Fay, how about just a simple "Proud American" instead of all this hyphenated, multi-culturalism PC crap. Would that suffice enough for you? It always makes me wonder where people like you set their priorities. Are you American first or Arab/Muslim first? Which one is it?

Kerry: you are a bigot and a fool.

As an American, I am proud of my president.

As a Jew, I am proud of the words of peace and faith that he used in his speech with the very same people that we must live in peace with.

As a supporter of Israel, where my extended family lives and where I have personally gone to worship and experience the wonders of Jerusalem, I am more comfortable in the safety and security of the Jewish homeland under President Obama than I ever was under the administration of Puppets and Fools that preceded him.

Shalom, Obama.

Hey Kerry, Did you really read our "book". because if you did and thats what you interpurted it as.. well lets just say you must have a few screws loose.

You're talking about the Bible, right?

Why don't you try reading the history of the church. Incredibly violent. The Church led a crusade against the Cathars to wipe them out and the Cathars were Christian. It is so easy for ignorant people to point fingers and ignore the three pointing back to themselves.

The crusades started when Christians were slaughtered on pilgrimages to Israel. The crusades would never have happened if Muslims hadn't thrown the first punch.

Brad...Bush did not have a Republican control House for 8 years and the Senate was very close and tilted Democrat as well.

Single party control is bad, regardless of which party is in control. The purpose of separation of powers was to foster debate for the good of the country, not to have single minded policies fast-tracked through the process.

Why is it so often that those on the left will demonize those they perceive as Christian but will go to the ends of the earth to protect the Islamist?

RKB: Maybe it's because "the Islamist" (although there are actually more than one) are mostly not doing anything to us, save for a small percentage of violent but mostly ineffective fundamentalists, while those who "perceive" (and loudly proclaim) themselves to be Christians are working at every turn to restrict freedom of (and freedom from) religion in the U.S., narrow the rights of millions of our citizens, stop education and scientific advancement, treat the earth as temporary and disposable, lie about the philosophical foundations of this country, and promote war in the hope that it turns into the Apocalypse. Maybe if Christians just lived the way they want to live, without trying to force the rest of us to live that way too, their (your) opinions would be a bit more widely accepted. Also, since your game plan is to take over complete control by claiming to be powerless, maybe some of us figure you have quite enough apologists, whereas Islam is underrepresented in the dialogue, and the rational pursuit of perspective calls for their side to be represented as well.

Oh - wait - you didn't really want an answer to your question, did you?

Most Christians just live the way they want to live and don't try to force the rest of us to live that way too.

You're so transparent in your diatribe it's almost humorous. You keep fighting the good fight and defend the poor underrepresented Islamist, ok?

RKB: Perhaps if that presumed majority of Christians who don't want to cram their beliefs down everyone's throats would actually renounce what you portray to be the vocal minority, the rest of us wouldn't have to. But all you appear to be doing is sticking up for them, and I therefore see no evidence that Christians are anything but a monolithic bloc.

As for defending "the Islamist," if you will read my first posts on this thread, I write to counter statements that the US is solely to blame for any lasting discord, by pointing out that Muslim fundamentalists have their share of culpability. I just also point out that Islam is not a seamless unit, and Muslims (again, plural) don't all follow the corrosive dogma of their most vocal proponents.

Out of purely idle curiosity, what is it you think I'm so "transparent" in trying to accomplish?

what is it you think I'm so "transparent" in trying to accomplish?

You're trying to accomplish the very thing you are criticizing others for, only you are taking the other side. You demonize an entire group of Americans, namely Christians, by saying they want to impose their will onto non-Christians such as myself and I assume like you. Don't you see the lunacy of that argument?

Try as I might, I don't see that it's "lunacy" to say that it's Christians mounting the greatest assault on freedoms in the U.S. Assuming it's the "entire group" argument that's your point, i.e. that not all Christians are trying to chip away at the Constitution (while yammering loudly about "freedom"), my point is that I see precious few Christians standing up to the lunacy their cousins are touting, and that therefore, in any practical sense, all, or at least a very great majority, of Christians are either trying to degrade freedom (and a great many other great qualities of this country, some of which I listed), or are complicit in the act by their silence. As for what I'm criticizing others for doing, I'm pointing out that they're making of this subject a black-and-white situation, and I'm arguing for a balanced, nuanced debate. You asked why "those on the left" (apparently a monolithic bloc) "demonize" Christians. I answered your question.

If we are to focus our vitriol on generalities, how can you possibly suggest that your original post on this subject is above reproach?

I'm by no means above reproach. I should have quantified my remark by stating that I perceive a majority of those on the left as going after Chrisitians and defending Islam.

RKB: I am clearly on the left. I am not "going after Christians" nor would I ever consider doing such a nonsensical thing.

Christianity, as a religion, says many things about peace and love. If all of the people in the world who profess themselves to be Christian were to behave as their religion instructed, on this point, there would be far more peace, and far more compassion on Earth.

That said, Dave has a point, one that you have avoided addressing.

In the USA, most of the rhetoric of anger against Islam, and most of the assaults on individual liberty, have come from people who claim to be inspired by christian teachings. Revisionism of science, history, and politics have all been the trading card of this annoyingly vocal minority. The end result of this kind of assault is ultimately tyranny, pure and simple, although few Christians have stood up to say so. The peace-loving Christians who believe in democracy and free speech have been inordinately silent. Hence, Dave's anger.

Just as many in the US like to fault all Muslims because a tiny minority has taken up terrorism, the same logic can be applied to fault all Christians because a much larger minority has taken up the cause of tyranny.

Islamic scholars have done far more to denounce the acts of Osama Bin Laden than anyone had ever hoped. They have gone to historic lengths to point out that OBL is outside the calling of Islam.

Very little has come from the Christian community denouncing the behavior of GWB or the neocons for their unjustified slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Iraq, or denouncing the behavior of people who spread lies about Muslims and attempt to rewrite history and science to favor their viewpoint.

Do you wonder why so many people are angry when the words of the Prince of Peace are used to justify war, hatred, injustice, and violence? I don't.

CapnPanther: Ordinarily, I bridle when others purport to speak for me. But when they say just what I would have said, as well as or better than I'd have said it, all that remains for me to say is: Exactly. What he said. Thank you.

I did not vote for him either, but nothing he has said or done so far has made me proud to have him as president! I am still proud to be an American but BO is quickly changing that! He is weakening this country in the eyes of the terrorists, apologizing to the world for our "arrogance", and bowing to the Saudi king, just to name a few of the things he has done. The mainstream media reports only what they want us to hear and they put their own spin on things so you have to listen to what BO says and watch what he does to form your own opinion. Obama and his wife and kids are flying all over the world and having a grand old time at our expense. Think of it--a 'date' that costs at least $20,000!And now the news that the wife and kids are off to Paris for a little vacation. And all the while we are being told to suck it up and make sacrifices and Biden wants us to believe that it is our duty to pay more taxes. Give me a break, please!! I can't wait until he is out of office.

Rita, G.W. Bush spent more than a third of his presidency on vacation.

So has Obama and Obama has only been in office for 4 1/2 months and he has had more parties, date nights, vacations etc.......... and he has overspent more in 4 1/2 months that all presidents in history combined! And dont say he had to to fix what Bush did, if it takes 10 trillion dollars to get out of 800 billion dollars your a darn fool for thinking so!

Where were you when #43 kept running off to Crawford every other weekend ???? That cost the taxpayer much more and for 8 years!!!! And what you're sucking up NOW was being created by #43 THEN. If this President chooses to take his First Lady to NEW YORK every five months - more power to him! !

Rita, I could've sworn what you just wrote was already spoken word for word by someone on Faux News or the Rush Limbaugh Comedy Hour. George Bush was busy in a classroom on vacation when this country was attacked. I still remember the deer in the headlights look he gave the cameras while looking at a childrens book. Instead of reading that book and being on golf vacations in Florida with his Governor brother Jeb, he should've been reading all the warnings from the CIA and FBI about the terrorists in this country.

Rita, G.W. Bush spent more than a third of his presidency on vacation.

That lie is played out. Seek new material please.

Well I guess that a terrorist attack could not have happened while O was on his date nite that I payed for. I cant believe that all of you live in the world that we live n now and can swallow the drivvel that O hands out, ( if we just be nicer to the poor misunderstood terrorists they will leave us alone) If we appoligize to them and say we will not do those terrible things they will leave us alone) wake up and smel the coffee we live in the real world they dont care what we say or do they have one agenda and that is to kill and take over or destroy .

Sorry Rita I voted for your comment by accident my mouse jumps around, but you keep listening to your demigods - I am sure one day they will find a fact in their garbage - somewhere maybe - Nah - they wouldn't know a fact if it bit off the cyst on Rush's a$$

Susan, Please get your facts right. We attacked a country that had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11 because George refused to believe the facts from the CIA. They made a case for war with lies and doctored evidence against Iraq. If we had continued to take the fight to Al Qaeda in Afghanistan we wouldn't be spending so much money to fight them again, which is why we have such a horrible reputation in the Muslim world. Again, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Please get your news from something other than Faux News or the Rush Linbaugh Comedy Hour.

George Bush was busy in a classroom on vacation

ZZZZZ... Bush did this and Bush did that. Bush spent this and Bush spent that. Bush read this and couldn't read that. Bush here Bush there Bushie Bushie everywhere!

RBK123, Thank God he's gone. It'll be a cold day when another one in the Bush clan will be able to run for President. 8 years was enough to last a lifetime. If you disagree fine, but don't forget that the man that ran for President wanting to continue the same policies lost horribly. It proves that people wanted a new direction for this country. And how is the Republican party doing these days? Are they still significant? I don't think so because of their rubber stamp during the Bush years.

RKB - it is NOT a lie that Shrub spent nearly a 1/3 of his presidency on vacation. He spent 490 days here at the 'ranch' in Texas and 487 in Camp David. There are no arguments about that. Those numbers add up to 977; divide that by 365 days in a year and you come up with 2.67 years. He was in office 8 years. Do the math. It is also not a lie that he read almost a book a week for the last 3-1/2 years of his presidency. Wow - with my full life, I'd LOVE to be able to have that much free time to read. Perhaps if he'd spent more time on the world's problems instead of reading biographies/novels, we wouldn't be in quite the mess we're in right now! How can ANYONE in their right mind still take up for this man???

Are you another one who considers the President on vacation if not inside the White House?

I want for a new direction in America too, especially when it comes to gov't spending. Unfortunately the guy who won is going even further to the left on spending then his economically liberal predecessor.

And as for the republicans, seriously, what's the difference between the democans and republicrats?

Carrie-688241 . . . you should get your fact straight before you post and make a fool of yourself . . .

Reagan-Bush1 more than tripled the National debt from under 800 billion dollars to about 3 trillion !

Now onto Bush2 - the National debt was still around 3 trillion dollars when Bush2 was selected as president, when he left, the National debt was over 10 trillion, another more than 3 fold increase, so don't talk to me about big spending presidents unless you're going to include the last three Republican presidents . . . and the Republicans had complete control from 2002 to 2006 during which time the debt increased by about as much as it had in the previous 200 years, so don't tell me it was a Democratic Congress that increased the debt !

need proof . . . zfacts.com . . . click on National Debt Graph . . . then read the article below the graph and the articles listed at the lower right . . .

Fool! You are the one who needs to take off the blinders!! BO is leading us down a path of destruction. He is gifted alright--as long as he has his teleprompter! We are not blessed to have him as our 'leader'.

Rita you are an idiot. Presidents require security 24x7. Bush made 70 trips to Crawford at a cost of $300,000 a trip during his Presidency. Didn't hear you @!$%# about that.

Axel000...is it really about the need for 27/7 presidential security or is it about wasteful spending at the same time when every other American is being asked to make sacrifices?

I'm not defending 70 trips to Crawford - waste is waste...period. It's all a demonstration of bad judgement.

Thanks, aohguy. I never defended the trips Bush made anywhere. I do believe that sometimes the president needs to get away for a little R and R. I don't believe I should have to pay for his 'date nights' with his wife or for his wife and children to fly off to Paris on vacation. To make matters worse, Obama himself has asked for all Americans to make sacrifices while he and his family are living the high life at taxpayer expense. Shame on him and anyone who defends his wastefulness!

The Presidential retreat for R&R historically has been Camp David. The POTUS needs R&R just like the rest of us and certainly deserves it and I will defend that regardless of who is in office. I will never defend wasteful spending either, regardless of who is in office.

Beth...I agree with you 100%. The problem that is demonstrated by this chain is that so many people were poisoned in mind by the hate and fear mongering of the previous administration. This was continued during the Presidential campaign by the lies and hateful email that was spread in thee continuing "dirty tricks"...even to the point of campaign crowds cheering to "Kill Obama" and being encouraged by the candidate herself. It continues today with the vitriolic wishes that Our President fail when it comes to lifting Our Country out of the recession brought by 8 years of pandering and malignant neglect.

Islam is not a violent religion in itself. It is, however, as corruptible as Christianity when a few radical elements can rise to positions of influence.

Hey Rita, I think it's time to take your meds.

Oh he is gifted alright , he has the gift of hipnotization. He is destroying our country from the inside and from the outside and when you wake up and see the truth it will be to late.

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Hey susan-290137. . . which truth is that . ? . the truth that the previous administration lied to us for 8 years . . . is that the truth you're talking about ? ? ?

You need to start thinking for yourself and stop listening to the blather from the far right . . .

I hope you at least defend our nation, when others see the extremist rhetoric of neocons and right-wing theocrats and assume that all Americans think that way - loving war, disrespecting differences and enforcing Christianity at the point of a sword. Islam is no more black-and-white than we are; both sides have sizeable majorities of peace-loving citizens, but the debate is dominated, on both sides, by vocal minorities eager to aggrandize themselves through armed conflict. Just read these boards - it's obvious that we are just as rife with short-sighted maniacs who "want to annhilate everyone who doesn't agree with them and follow their laws exactly."

To: "somebeffudledperson" - You are befuddled as to why we think we owe any other country an apology?!? Seriously?!? What, becuase we're Americans we can do no wrong? (Who are you, Nixon?) Also what are you talking about that we are 'apologizing for coming to their rescue'? What rescue? Don't tell me you are still under the mistaken belief that we attacked Iraq because we were doing it to help their people. If that were the case, then there are a WHOLE list of people/countries that were and are being mistreated by their leaders and could have used our help. The bottom line here is three little letters: OIL. THAT is why we invaded and attacked Iraq. Do I feel apologetic? You BET I do! Do I HATE that our brave soldiers have lost life and limb following this idiot to fight a war based on a lie? Again, BET your life savings on it!! I'm horrified that he got everyone all riled up because of the attrocities of 9/11 where over 3K people died and played on our emotions, only to have us attack another country, have our current counts of over 4K dead and over 30K injured Americans, not to mention the dead and injured Iraqis in the process. We have a Hellova lot to apologize for if you ask me. We also have much to be proud of - I think it is a 'big person' that can admit when they've done wrong. Obama is just trying to right a few wrongs here.

The same hold true for us. Our Neo-Cons will continue to argue to attack Iran, N.Korea and any other countries they do not like. Our reproductive health clinics will continually be bombed and our doctors murdered by our right wing extremist.

...you are correct; will the cultural majority of "peace-loving" muslims raise to the occassion against the extremist muslims? or will they just continue sipping their tea and continue allowing the fundamentalist minority to spread hate against israel, USA and all the western civilization? There were 7 different (but equally important) issues addressed in the speech; it will be interesting knowing what kind of "support" will the muslim audience pledge to each of the 7 issues. The extremist muslims already "talked" before the speech; it is now the turn to talk for the cultural "peace-loving" group...  

What you don't get is that the US is not a white, Christian nation. It is "One nation, under God" and that means any God, or any way one wishes to interpret God. People came to this country to get away from religious repression in any form and in the US they could worship any way they wished. As long as hard right-wingers spew hate and fear and try to make America a "white, Christian nation - where everyone carries a gun", there will be no peace anywhere.

Thank you, Mid-Atlantic Mom, for pointing out (as most of us have always known) that the US is not a "Christian nation." However, it should also be noted that this was not founded as "one nation, under God." That bit of cold-war rhetoric was inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. Before that, we were "one nation, indivisible." After that, we were one nation, divided.

I must have missed it in the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence where it said that we are a Christian nation. Could someone point that out to me? Ohhh, right, it says in the Bill of Rights, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

We are a Christian nation, a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, etc. We are everything. We started out as people looking to escape persecution, to establish a new life and we had a desire to be free. Maybe we should all look at a copy of these important documents and rediscover what it is that makes us Americans. Reread (or do so for the first time) the Declaration of Independence and start a discussion of what we should be. Again it does not single out a religion but speaks from a basic human desire.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."

Think on it.

rubbish!

Yeah Rick......let's go out a kill another 100,000 in Iraq...that should make

you safe.

Ann; what do you mean by "rubbish" Are you calling the Constitution "rubbish" or the Declaration of Independence "rubbish"

What are you calling 'rubbish"

Daisye D - your quote from the Declaration of Independence answers your own question! "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights" That Creator is the GOD of the Bible, worshipped by the Pilgrims (Puritans and Quakers--the main religions escaping to the new world) for 150 years before the USA became the USA.

And Congress makes plenty of laws "prohibiting the free exercise" of religion. When will you as a non-religious (I am guessing from your comments) person realize the worship or religion ins a public place is not the same as the Government determining what religion you must practice? If you want to ignore the overwhelming evidence the the majority of the people who lived in the US from 1607 - 1800 were of Protestant faith, go ahead. But please don't try to re-write history because of something you don't like.

Bob: the founders weren't atheists, they were largely Deists. They believed in God, just not the Christian version. Belief in God and belief in religion are not the same.

As far as laws "prohibiting" free exercise, do you have examples that don't involve the use of my tax money to endorse a religion? No one's telling anyone not to practice their religion; the tension comes when someone wants the government to espouse or favor one. Unless you have examples to the contrary...? Using my tax money to promote your religion infringes on my right to support or withhold support for religion as I see fit.

And as for majorities, they are irrelevant in this context. The founders specifically set up a system to protect minorities. Geez - I can't believe I have to tell this to (I presume) a fellow American. You really didn't know all this?

Bob, it says Creator, not God nor does it say the God in the Bible. This would lead me to believe that each religion or non-religion would take the name Creator into the context of their own religion. They were very careful in how they phrased it. You take it to mean God, specifically the one from the Bible.

I agree with Dave. We cannot favor one religion over another. Each must have an opportunity. I do favor the separation of church and state. Religious icons should not be favored/displayed on government property unless all are. Better to keep it neutral. If people want to display their religious beliefs they can do so with their homes or places of worship.

As for history, majorities have changed and moved like ocean waves. If Protestants were in the majority for that time period...fine. I have no problem recognizing that fact as long as it is fact. And for the record, I grew up Roman Catholic, but have moved away from it for personal reasons. I consider myself just spiritual now, not religious. I don't care for organized religion. All it has done is create problems and does not unite people. It's the best decision for my life and I am happier and more peaceful for it. I have the opportunity to consider other points of view and not spew programmed doctrine for no other reason than that's what I was told to believe. This is my right as an American. I think everyone needs to find their own religious truth and accept & respect other people's choices.

Good luck to everyone in their search.

I must have missed the "apology" to which you refer. Would you please post where President Obama told the Middle East he was "sorry?" I would like to see those words, or any other (exact) words that mean that. I suspect you are lying, or just parroting others who are.

*sigh* Did you even read the article? Obama told a reporter that this one speach will not suddenly bring peace to the Middle East, be he hopes it will help it along. We all have to work towards a common peace and need to stop demonizing the "other group" as misguided and evil. I reiterate, ALL SIDES need to wark towards peace. This includes you as well, I hope you understand.

there is an over the counter cure for that.

J, at least listen to the speech before trying to criticize it. He specifically addressed your comment within the first 5 minutes. I would be laughing at your ignorance right now if it didn't make me so depressed.

Well J 636636 where is your response? We bring you to task and you can't produce. What a shame!

dave in NM....you mus't be watching "Fox News".

Awww, Len - you saw right through me! You're right - my opinions are not, as they so ironically put it, "fair and balanced." I hang my head just as much as I should. But I can't linger over this discussion. I'm expecting J-string-of-numbers to back up his baseless screed with evidence, any minute now.

/me waits....

B-b-but they SAID he "apologized!" I saw it on the Internet - it MUST be true!

you are so right....we all know everything on the internet is 100% gospel.

Praise the Internets Gawd 10011001!

Dave in NM...I laughed and laughed when I read your comment...good show! It also must be true because Hannity and Romney said it also!

EverybodysACritic: I get a similar chuckle whenever I see this BS about President Obama "apologizing." I laughed even more loudly when I read, in the MSNBC article entitled "Arab world sees positive shift in Obama speech":

"...at the top of his priorities, Obama put the battle against violent extremism. And he was faulted for not apologizing for U.S. wars in Muslim countries."

Thank you for standing with your country, when so many make it so difficult for you to do so. Our diversity is our strength!

#14: I agree and support you. God bless patriots of any religion. america was founded on that principal.

You, sir, have said more in two sentences than others have in many paragraphs.

Thank you for your service, and all the best to you.

Thank you for your service!

Lets stop calling him "the abortion dr", he was an OBGYN, a trained practitioner of women's reproductive health. Calling him the "abortion dr" is incredibly simplistic, although I know you don't mean it that way.

He was amurderer who killed 60,000 babys . Most were viaible and would have lived if he had not sucked their brain out. I dont agree that he should have been killed but I hopee he is paying for it now in the fires of hell.

Susan, its idiots like you who believe idiots like LimpBall as if the word of God. The fact is that America is a Democracy, in simpleton terms, "Majority Rules". Abortion is legal in this country, right or wrong. It is people like you that encourage nut cases to do the extreme. If you were Muslim YOU would be Taliban. I read this garbage every so often and the lies that keep on festering. You who criticize Obama will criticize him no matter what he does or what he says. What would you have him do? Be a ignorant cowboy like Bush or a master deceiver like Cheney? Right now, here in our lifetime we are witnessing history, not because he is black(I know that pisses you off) but we have a intelligent, honest compelling president. Who has taken it upon himself to try and make our life's better. Not start wars or make money thru Halliburton or watch citizens on the rooftops because of a hurricane. For once, I am proud of our president, for once we truly have someone working to make things better instead of whats politicallyly correct or safe. Never before in my long life has a president been this intelligent, this open, this willing to take on issues that have plagued us for many decades. BTW, Bush did take 2 1/2 year vacation in 7 1/2 years. And while in office he read a novel a week. To bad he didn't read the reports warning of a air attack from Osuma when it was delivered to him.

Susan - first of all, it wasn't 60K "viable" babies. (<---note correct spelling of the plural for "baby"). That is something that Faux News likes to report but it is not an accurate statistic. No one at 7 months of pregnancy happens to be walking down the street in front of the clinic and decides, "Hey! I think I'll have that abortion that I've been meaning to get around to!" There are only a handful of doctors in the US that perform these 3rd trimester procedures, and the large majority of them are to deal with the after effects of the fetus having died while in the womb. Women have had to carry these dead fetuses to full term, some even having to birth them rather than c-section. Can you imagine the horror? There are other instances of child rape where the parents didn't even know, or if the mother has cancer and has to go through treatments. These are just a few of the 100's of examples of what is truly happening in these clinics. I'm so sick of the right wing nutjobs making it seem like it's just a walk-in-the-park for the women and her doctor who choose this most difficult of decisions. Stop spewing your hate and uneducated nonsense about something you CLEARLY know nothing about!

I just wanted to commend The One-841393 and TexanforObama I could not have said it any better . . .

You chose your name correctly, you truely are some befuddled person . . .

Beth could not have been more correct . . .

Dear somebefuddledperson,

I think you may want to take into consideration that this democracy in the USA has been in place for over 200 years, so its citizens are used to standing up for justice and their freedoms.

While I agree that Obama leans toward socialism, I don't think that our citizens would allow the poor standards that tend to follow other socialized countries.

I do agree that the wealth is not shared, however, and well that's just part of human's weakness for GREED.

Any good person of faith, be it Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, or Buddism (did I leave any out?), will ALWAYS struggle in life with these great weaknesses, that we like to refer to as the 7 deadly sins......This is part of our struggle or what we Muslims call "Jihad".

A little knowledge truly is dangerous. Those of you who think Muslims want to annihiliate Jews and Americans are quite wrong.

Dear aptly yclept...

I don't believe that this is the correct chain for a socialism discussion but your comments are too egregious too pass up.

I do NOT believe that Our President is Socialist in any way. I do believe that he is doing what he can to help us all recover from the unethical, corrupted practices that some would have you believe is capitalism. We have learned in the past that unfettered capitalism leads to greed and corrupt behavior. When government controls over commerce are abandoned or weakened the result is corruption and a series of laws are passed to prevent the excesses. Look at the historical model in the US going back to Teapot Dome, through the Great Depression to the current recession. When controls are weakened, the results are a collapse in both ethics and the economy.

Curious how in this last case the fall of moral and ethical behavior was coincident with the rise of those supporting right wing "conservative" religious views.

You are right he is not socialists , he is more facisist/

Agreed, probably not the place to start a socialist discussion but I felt I had to add. I'm always curious why Americans are so anti-socialist. I'm an American and lived in a European social democracy for eight years and it was amazing for the most part. Is it because Republicans insisted for decades that socialism=communism? If so, nothing could be farther from the truth. These are just the uber-wealthy afraid of losing their extravagant lifestyles. Even as an outsider I was treated virtually the same as citizens; I had excellent and affordable health and dental care, free college tuition for four years, excellent public transportation and a great many other benefits. Taxes were on a scale system and I paid 52% income tax on income greater than 50%. Still, I could afford to travel to 26 different countries, had a beautiful home, a good car, and a good many of life's other comforts. So what is it exactly that everyone is so afraid of? I'm curious.

I sure don't hate you. Thank you for serving our country. Ignorance is a hard thing to stamp out.

I dont hate you, I am proud of your service , even if I dont believe in war, thank you for your sacrifice.

Just because you are a Soldier serving abroad does not mean that you have a monopoly on patriotism or love for our country. Also, just because someone does not have the same beliefs or express the same thoughts as you does not mean they are not a patriot or love for country. It takes acceptance from each and every one of us for there to be any true success.

Yes, you are Muslim and fighting for America but tell me, how many American Christians do you know that are fighting for the freedom of Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries. You are not alone...

From a former Marine and Vietnam veteran....

A Patriot - BRAVO - BRAVO

Larrylee: "It takes acceptance from each and every one of us for there to be any true success."

Despite the hostile tone of your post, you hit on an important point. We need, not just "tolerance" of differences, but actual acceptance. One "tolerates" an injury or illness. It is not enough merely to "tolerate" other cultures, religions or lifestyles; we must accept people who are different as equally valid in our society, and fight for them just as you suggest people of different religions should fight for one another's rights.

That being said, too often the exercise of American military might is brought to bear, not for the purpose of protecting the rights of non-white, non-Christian non-Americans, but for purely self-serving reasons of our own, and often with the aim of undermining their self-determination in one way or another. Yours is a valid point, but let's not assume that all American military action is undertaken out of an inherent respect for cultures that are different from our own.

Oh, and upon multiple readings, there is no way APSSA was trying to say he had a monopoly on patriotism, unlike what so many Christians say of their ilk.

America is not innocent but America is not responsible for the irrational bloodshed currently going on in this world. If Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda operatives hadn't attacked us repeatedly, we wouldn't have taken up arms against them.

They attacked us on 9/11 and the Muslim world danced and passed out candy to celebrate the deaths of THOUSANDS of innocent civilians. Moderate Muslims turn a blind eye when homicide bombers kill unarmed civilians by the dozens.

Americans don't do that. We warn you to surrender your arms the UN has documented proof you've had and might sell to others, if you have them. If you refuse, you suffer dire consequences. You harbor people who would do us harm, then excuse us while we come in to get them since you won't turn them over.

We're applauding Obama for his "intelligent" speech and REFUSE to acknowledge the obvious. We kill as a last resort. They kill from the jump- and don't care.

We're not dealing with rational motivations yet we insist on meeting insanity with logic and reason. Perhaps the real insanity is ours!!!!!

LadyGrace, some of the Muslim world's hostility toward the West is based on legitimate complaints. No sane person would argue that this justifies the violence some extremists have undertaken, but there ARE things that America and the West have done very wrong in the Middle East, and it is important to take reponsibility for that.

One wrong deed doesn't justify another wrong deed. The Muslim world (extremists) will never seek peace and President Obama talking peace will only give the US a false sense of security. The terrorists don't want peace. All they want is death to the US and Israel. It's doesn't matter if we've surrendered or not they want us dead.

you feel the same way about them. so either way we're in trouble. It must be allowed by the world governments for Muslims like us to follow traditional Islam, as was followed in our "golden ages", everytime a movement that promotes peace comes up, its shut down by the western powers just as fast...I think this is one point that Obama meant in his speech...that he will allow us to have it back and he won't impede us anymore, seeing that the western powers also had a big hand in creating extremist groups...if not a bigger hand

I think the extremists themselves have the biggest hand in what they themselves choose to do.