The speech will take place Thursday and will center on the foreign policy of the United States.
The majority of the audience is expected to be Muslim.
There has been much tension between the Muslim community and the United States over the last few decades highlighted by two Gulf wars and much military action throughout the Middle East.
Some have called the friction America’s making an enemy of Islam to replace communism after the Cold War ended. On the other hand, all of the actions taken towards Muslim nations have had legitimacy behind them; none of which were based on attacking Islam. For instance, the first gulf war came after Saddam Hussein invading a neighboring country and the Iraq War was based on something that may have not been very warranted, but still not having to do with attacking Muslims. Then there is September 11th, 2001 where the repercussions had nothing to do with attacking anyone else, but rather defending America.
In the new millennium, former President George W. Bush did attempt to make peace with the Muslim community, but tensions did not simmer.
Thursday, President Barack Obama is set to give the peace talks a shot himself. Obama is a more respected figure internationally than President Bush was and will be speaking to an audience that will be much more open to hearing what the President has to say.
Obama is not expected to announce any new policies or make any changes to current ones. However, President Obama hopes to better explain the current United States foreign policies in order to establish a higher level of respect and peace between America and the Muslim community.
Obama is expected to directly address every major issue that is plaguing United States, Muslim relations.
With the speech and outreach towards a better understanding of each other (The United States and Islam) hope is that we will be one step closer to ending violence in the Middle East and providing a more peaceful homeland for the Muslims in the Middle East.
