Obama Extends a Hand of Friendship to Islam - Kamran Pasha

It was speech that stirred my soul, both as an American and as a Muslim. The President of the United States stood before the parliament of Islam's oldest democracy in Turkey and delivered a riveting statement that will resonate throughout the Muslim world. He said what needed to be said in plain and simple words: "The United States is not - and will never be - at war with Islam."

It was a powerful speech, in which President Obama stated persuasively that the only way forward for humanity is a partnership of peace between the West and the Islamic world. He spoke eloquently about the history of Turkey's long relationship with America, of how the Ottoman Sultan Abdelmecid supported the construction of the Washington Memorial that towers over the capital today. Obama spoke of shared hopes and values, of Muslims and non-Muslims working together to build a better future.