America No Muslims' Enemy: Obama

"The language we use has to be a language of respect," Obama said.

"My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama told the Arabic-language Al-Arabiya television in an interview on Monday, January 27. 

In his first formal interview as president, Obama vowed a conciliatory approach to the Muslim world, where anti-American sentiments reached record high during the presidency of his predecessor George Bush.

A recent poll by the Washington-based Pew Research Center found that the US image had plummeted deeply across the world, especially in the Muslim world, with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan topping a long list of disappointing factors.

"We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect," Obama admitted.

"But if you look at the track record…America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that," he insisted.

"That I think is going to be an important task."

Obama, who was inaugurated on January 20 as America's first ever black president, reiterated his pledge to "do a more effective job of reaching out, listening, as well as speaking to the Muslim world."

Though he did not give a time or a venue, Obama renewed his commitment to travel to make an address in the capital of a major Muslim nation.

"It is something that is going to be important."

Obama had used his inaugural speech to pledge a "new way forward" in America's relation with the Muslim world.

Language of Respect

Obama believes that a key part of his approach to reach out to the Muslim world is to change to a new "language of respect".

"The language we use matters," he told the Dubai-based, Saudi-owned news channel.

"My job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect."

Predecessor Bush upset many Muslims in 2006 by linking Islam with violence and terrorism.

His administration officials have used variations of the term "Islamo-fascism" to describe groups including al Qaeda, its allies in Iraq and even Lebanese resistance movement Hizbullah.

"I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries," stressed Obama.

He criticized attempts to "paint with a broad brush" a faith as a consequence of the violence practiced by some of its followers.

"My job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives."

Obama said his administration will be very clear in distinguishing between terror organizations and those who have disagreements with the US.

"We can have legitimate disagreements but still be respectful."