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Obama's message to Muslims sent by text
Paul Thompson4 Jun 2009
Barack Obama will today use texting to ensure his message of reconciliation with the Muslim world reaches as wide an audience as possible.
Extracts from the US President's highly anticipated speech in Egypt will be texted in 13 languages to people in more than 200 countries.
The US State Department is paying for the so-called "text blast" of Mr Obama's key address at the University of Cairo which will attempt to repair America's image in the eyes of Muslims.
Many in poorer Muslim countries do not have computers or televisions, but access to mobile phones is universal.
Those who have signed up to receive the texts have also been asked to send their opinion on what Mr Obama says today to a State Department website.
The President, who is currently touring the Middle East, has said it is vital for America to forge new relations with the Muslim world. He will also use his speech today to outline the US view on Middle East peace talks, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Aides said the President wants his message of building a new friendship to reach as many people as possible.
"There has been a breach between America and the Islamic world and that breach has been years in the making," said senior White House adviser David Axlerod.
"It will not be reversed in one speech, it is not going to be reversed perhaps in one administration.
The 45-minute speech by Mr Obama will touch on subjects that have caused tension between the West and the Muslim world.
His aides said that he will mention the war in Afghanistan and Iraq as he attempts to explain his policies on both countries.
Mr Obama will also talk about his Muslim relatives in Kenya and his childhood experiences of growing up in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.
However, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and what Mr Obama sees as a solution, will be the subject the majority of Muslims want to hear about.
They will be hoping that the President takes a tough stance against Israel which has rejected his calls for a freeze on settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Mr Obama's speechwriter Ben Rhodes said the President had a huge input into the speech, knowing his every word will be analysed.
Mr Rhodes said: "For the last week, he's really just been frequently holed up with his draft and editing it very heavily."
Reader views (5)
The West wants to get on with developing new sources of power so that oil can be discarded and along with it the only leverage most muslim states possess. Then just let them get on with their dark ages nonsense and chuck all the troublemakers out.
- Squiz, Islington, 05/06/2009 09:45
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Smacks of Chamberlain's "peace in our time" paper at Munich to me.
- Cuddly Duddly, Cuffley, UK, 05/06/2009 00:36
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God help the USA
- Bobc, Ky USA, 04/06/2009 14:01
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This is appeasement,pure and simple,from a stooge who without exception will prove to be the worst, most destructive President the US has ever experienced. A brief study of history shows us that Islam has been at War with Christainity for a thousand years. They've invaded and conquered more Christian territories than many realise and Iraq and Afghanistan are nothing compared to the Moorish and Ottoman conquests. The koran calls for its followers to partake in Jihad against non-Muslims and there is evidence of this happening all around us. Obama's sycophantic gushings in Egypt will just be another green light for Islam to continue its campaign of aggression towards the west.
Don't believe it? Do you own research. You have been warned.
- Brendon, London, 04/06/2009 13:06
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Sounds like a great idea, so long as it doesn't come across like all that email spam that offers cheap viagra . . .
- Roz, France, 04/06/2009 12:34
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