Barack Obama Speech in Cairo - Essay Example

In a maiden speech delivered in Cairo University on 6 April 2009, he addressed violent extremism, Israel and Palestine war, nuclear weapons, democracy, women's rights and economic development. He asserted that the West and Islam should start confronting these issues. This paper will only focus on the issue of violent extremism in America. It will explain why the issue is meaningful to me and analyze the assertions Obama made about the issue and the evidence he gives to support those assertions.

I believe that the issue of violent extremism is very significant in this context. America is seemingly the most democratic country in the world subject to its race and religion diversity. Prior to this speech, tension between the United States and Muslims around the world had been rising for years. Islam and the West had relationships marred by cooperation as well as conflicts. While the West fostered modernization and globalization, the Muslim nations view the West acts as demeaning to the Islam traditions.

As a result, Muslims execute violence against the Americans killing Muslims, Christians, and innocent people though America. In addition, America in its right to freedom of worship encompasses both Muslims and Christians. In fact, Obama himself confesses the Muslim faith though his mother was a Christian and his father a Muslim. Indeed, this seems to be a war between America and the Muslim. Obama being the president of America, having confessed Muslim, and Egypt being a Muslim nation he is in a contradicting position to address this issue.

Hence, this issue is domineering over the others. Obama asserts that America has never been, is not, and will never be at war with Islam. He confirms that just like any other nation and faith, America only rejects the killing of innocent men, women, and children. He argues that even Muslims cannot condone such killings as the Quran forbids them. He also recognizes the words of the second President of the United States, John Adams who proclaimed that, America has no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility of Muslims (USA Today Web).

However, he observes that it is his and other willing partner’s duty to confront violent extremists for the sake of American and world security. He also asserts that American has demonstrated its goals and quest for unity in fighting the violent extremists in Afghanistan. To this assertion, he reminds the audience that the United States had international support in pursuing al Qaeda and the Taliban. In fact, a coalition of 46 countries was in the pursuit (USA Today Web). Additionally, he asserts that America was justified to venture in that pursuit.

He narrates that Al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 innocent people from all nations on the September 11 attack with a vow to continue launching more killings. Indeed, these attacks have made some Americans to view Islam as an inevitably hostile way of life to all. As such, he argues that it was only fair for America, with the support of the international community, to pursue them with an aim of bringing justice to the victims and prevent more attacks. He however asserts that America will not keep its troops in Afghanistan for a long time.

He confers that the pursuit has been costly, caused many casualties, and is politically difficult to manage.