In his first speech after the historic victory in the US presidential elections last November 5th, US President Barack Obama announced that he would adopt a new policy with all the countries of the world and that he would pay special attention to the issues of the Muslims and the Middle East. He also announced that he would deliver a speech in one of the leading Islamic capitals. Although the first 100 days of this rule elapsed without delivering his expected speech - according to political analysts and Congressmen - the Islamic world is still waiting for the speech. A month after winning the presidential seat, Obama sent an aide to some Americans, who are known of their flexible stances towards Muslims and asked each of them to write the speech that would be delivered by Obama to the Muslims and the Middle East. Among those aides was Dalia Megahed, a US researcher of Egyptian origins, who was selected last month to be Obama's adviser to the affairs of the Islamic world. Al-Masry Al-Youm publishes the speech wrote by Megahed:
"To our brothers and sisters of all races and religions in the Middle East – the source of civilizations, the birth of all monotheistic religions and the inexhaustible resource in philosophy, poetry and science in all areas – we want to support our common values so that we can face our challenges."
All of us have suffered from the consequences of an uncalculated and misleading war. We have been filled with fear of the specter of terrorism and extremism that swept through all. You and we suffer from a serious economic crisis that affected everything including fuel, food and prices. I want to assure you that the American people, like you, dream day and night of change and a new road to build our common world together. We have shared values: justice, mercy and mutual respect. Your security and ours should enjoy privacy that should not be violated by the other under any claim or allegation. Radical terrorism, which causes worry to us day and night should cause worry to you as well. You have to know that this will affect you and us, as the geographical borders are no longer an obstacle to any problem, whether economic or social or political. They no longer differentiate between races or religions. Let us be like this. You have to know that the future of our children depends on our ability to create real prospects of cooperation between us and you. All of us should be led by this spirit of partnership motivated by common desires to achieve real peace in this central spot of the world. Indeed, I gave this goal top priority even before my entry to the White House, but I want you to know that the United States can not act single-handedly without a genuine partnership to achieve peace in the region. We can not work without allies faithful to their cause in the first place. We want you to help us to create a genuine, lasting integrated and non-distorted peace. Frankly, I want to point out that peace does not mean the absence of war, but peace with its understanding and application means nothing but peace. Peace is the urgent desire of citizens to create a better future for all of us and this is our mission, as rulers, to reach real and fair settlements to the conflicts and disputes that concern us. We are responsible for the independence and security of the Iraqi, Israeli and Palestinian people and we will work with our regional partners to create a real peace to these people.
The truth I want all of you to know is that my speech before you today means our ability to bring people together under one banner including those who have been struggling for centuries without reaching solutions. I want to tell these people that we are now able to live together.
