>> president obama delivered a wide-ranging speech today at cairo university in egypt. the call for a two-state solution in the middle east, a unified effort against a violent

extremism, greater religious freedom and equality for women in the region. the speech, which was broadcast worldwide, is an hour. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. [cheers and applause] [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you very much. thank you very much. please. thank you. thank you.

thank you so much. good afternoon. i am honored to be in the time the city of cairo and to be hosted by to remarkable institutions. 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 the chips advancement. together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. i am grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of egypt. and i am also proud to carry with me the good will of the american people and a greeting of peace from muslim communities in my country. assalamu alaikum. [applause]

at a time of great tension between the united states and muslims around the world. tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond and the current policy debate. the relationship between islam and the west includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. more recently, attention has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many muslims and a cold war in which muslim majority countries where too often treated as proxy's, without regard to their own aspirations. moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many muslims

to view the west as hostile to the traditions of islam. violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of muslims. the of september 11, 2001, and the continued efforts of these extremist 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. all this is bred more fear and more mistrust. so long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace. those who promote conflict rather then the cooperation that can help all of our people live

chief justice and prosperity. in this cycle of suspicion and discord must end. i have come here to khai rove to seek a new beginning between the united states and muslims around the world. one based on mutual interests and mutual respect. and one based upon the truth that america and islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings. i do so recognizing the change cannot happen overnight. i know there has been a lot of publicity about this beach but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can i answer in the time that i have

this afternoon all of the complex questions that brought us to this point. but i am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that to what then are said only behind closed doors. 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. as the holy koran tells us, the conscious of god and speak always the truth. [applause] that is what i will try to do today, to speak the truth as best i can.

humbled by the test before us and firm in my belief that the interest we share as human beings gar for more powerful than the forces that drive us apart. part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. i am a christian but my father came from a kenyan family that includes generations of muslims. essay boy i spent several years in indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and that the fall of tusk. as a young man, i worked in chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in the muslim faith. as a student of history, i also know civilizations debt to al-islam. it was islam that places like al-azhar that carried the light of learning druze so many

centuries, paving the way for europe's rhenus sans and enlightenment. it was innovation and muslim communities. [applause] it was innovation and muslim communities that developed the order of algebra, are magnetic compass and tools of navigation, our mastery of penson printing, our understanding of how the disease spreads and how it can be healed. islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires, timeless poetry and cherished music, elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. and throughout history, islam has demonstrated through words and deeds of the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality. [applause]

i also know that islam has always been a part of america's story. the first nation to recognize my country was morocco. in signing the treaty of tripoli, in 1796, our second president, john adams wrote, the united states has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of muslims and since our founding, american muslims have been-- enriched united states. 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 have excelled in our sports arenas. they have won nobel prizes, built our tallest building and lit the olympic torch. when the first muslim america

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. [applause] so, i have known islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. that experience guide my conviction that partnership between america and islam must be based on what islam is, not what it isn't. and i consider it part of my responsibility as president of the united states to fight against negative stereotypes of islam, wherever they appear. [applause]

but, at that same principle must apply to muslim perceptions of america. just as-- [applause] just as muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, america is not the crude stereotype of the self-interest of empire. the united states has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. we were born out of revolution against an empire. we were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal. and we have shed blood and struggle for centuries to give meaning to those words, within our borders and around the world. we are shaped by every culture, drawn from every end of the earth, and dedicated to a simple

concept, out of many, one. now much has been made of the fact that an african-american with the name of barack hussein obama could be elected president. [applause] but my personal story is not so unique. the dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in america, but it's promise exists for all who come to our shores. and that includes nearly 7 million american muslims in our country today who, by the way, in joint income is an educational levels that are higher than the american average.

moreover, freedom in america is indivisible from the freedom to practice once religion. that is why there is a mosque in every state in our union and over 1200 mosques within our borders. that is 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. so, let there be no doubt-- [applause] let there be no doubt, it islam is a part of america. and i believe that america holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion or station in life, all of us share common aspirations, to live in peace and security, to get an education and to work with

dignity, to love our families, our communities and our god. these things we share. this is the hope of all humanity. of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. these needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead. and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared and our failure to meet them will hurt us all. for we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weekends in one country, prosperity is heard everywhere. when a new flu index one human being, all are at risk. when one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all

nations. when a violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. win innocence and bosnia and darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. [applause] that is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. that is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings. this is a difficult responsibility to embrace, for human history has often been a record of nations and tribes, and yes, her religion's subjugating one another in pursuit of their own interests. yet, in this new age such attitudes are self-defeating.

given our inner dependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. so, whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. our problems must be dealt with through a partnership. our progress must be shared. [applause] now, that does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. indeed, it's just the opposite. we must face these tensions squarely. and so, it in that spirit let me speak as clearly and as plainly as i can about some specific issues that i believe we must

finally confront together. the first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms. in awe ankara i made clear that america is not and never will be at war with islam. [applause] we will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremist who pose a grave threat to our security because we reject the same thing that the people all faiths reject, the killing of innocent men, women and children and it is my first duty as president to protect the american people. the situation in afghanistan demonstrates america's schools, and our need to work together. over seven years ago, the united

states for cid al qaeda in the taliban with broad international support. we did not go by choice. we went because of necessity. i am aware that there are still some who would question or even justify the offence of 9/11, but let us be clear. al qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. of the victims for innocent men, women and children from america and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. and yet, al qaeda chose to ruthlessly murdered these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. they have affiliate's in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. these are not opinions to be

debated. these are facts to be dealt with. make the mistake, we do not want to keep our troops in afghanistan. we see no military-- we seek no military bases there. it is agonizing for america to lose our young men and women. it is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. we would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in afghanistan, and now pakistan, determined to kill as many americans as they possibly can. but that is not yet the case. and that is why we are partnering with a coalition of 46 countries. and despite the costs involved, america's commitment will not weaken. indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists.

they have killed and many countries. they have killed people of different faiths, but more than any other, they have killed muslims. their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with islam. the holy koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind. [applause] andel holy koran also says, whoever saves a person, is as if he has saved all mankind. [applause] the enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of the

few. islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism, it is an important part of promoting peace. now, we also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in afghanistan and pakistan. that is why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with pakistani's to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses and hundreds of millions to help those who have been displaced. that is why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend on. now, let me also address the issue of iraq. bun like afghanistan, iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country

and around the world. although i believe that the iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of saddam hussein, i also believe that events in iraq have reminded america of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve all problems whenever possible. [applause] indeed, we can recall the words of thomas jefferson who said, i hope that our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power, the greater it will be. today, america has the dual responsibility to help iraq forge a better future and to leave iraq to the iraqis. i have made it clear to the iraqis people-- [applause]

i have made it clear to the iraq people that we pursue no basis and no claim on their territory or resources. iraq's sovereignty is its own. and that is why i ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next august. that is why we will honor our agreement with iraq's democratically elected government to remove combat troops from the iraqi cities by july and to remove all of our troops from iraq by 2012. [applause] we will help iraq train its security forces and develop its economy, but we will support a secure and united iraq as a partner and never as a patron. and finally, just as american can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter

or forget our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. the fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals. we are taking concrete actions to change course. 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. [applause] so, america will defend itself, respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. and we will do so in partnership

with muslim communities, which are also threatened. the sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer. now, the second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between israelis, palestinians and arab world. america's strong bonds what is real are well known. this blonde is unbreakable. it is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied. around the world, the jewish people were persecuted for centuries and anti-semitism in europe culminated in an

unprecedented holocaust. tomorrow i will visit buchnenwald, which is part of a network of camp's were jewish were enslaved, tortured, shot and guest to death by the third reich. 6 million were killed. more than the entire jewish population of israel today. denying that fact is baseless, it is ignorant and it is hateful. threatening israel with destruction or repeating stereotypes about jews is deeply wrong and only served to evoke in the minds of israelis this most painful memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve. on the other hand, it is also undeniable that the palestinian people, muslims and christians,

have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. for more than 60 years, they have endured the pain of this location. many wait in a refugee camps in the west bank, gaza in neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. the endure the daily humiliations, large and small, that come with occupation. so, let there be no doubt, the situation for the palestinian people is intolerable. and america will not turn our backs on the legitimate palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a state of their own. [applause] for decades then, there has been a stalemate.

two people's with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. it is easy to point fingers. for palestinians to point to the displacement brought about by israel's founding and four israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history, from within its borders as well as beyond. but, if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth. the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where israelis and palestinians each live in peace and security. [applause] that is in israel's interest,

palestine's interest, america's interest, and the world's interest. and that is why i intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patients and dedication that the task requires. the obligations-- the obligations that the parties have agreed to under the road map are clear. for peace to come, it is time for them and all of us to live up to our responsibilities. palestinians must abandon violence. resistance through violence and killing is wrong and it does not succeed. for centuries, black people in america suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. but it was not violence that one full