I admire you and I admire your thoughts, but we have been switched to different tracks on this one.
I listened to the speech, every word of it, and, I posted comment #2 immediately, while seething with a feeling that if our president can't see the futility, what hope is there?
Islam Does not have words for "individual worth", "initiative", "conscience", and above all "freedom". Appealing to their potential goodness is useless; like talking to the man in the street in Martian. Before muslims can mull over ideas, they must grasp the meaning of the word. Their actions make it clear that they cannot. Islam does not allow it.
Even the "leaders" about to be elected in Iraq suffer from the fatal flaw.
Islam MUST reform in order to overcome the issues plagueing it and that are fatal to it IMHO...and it is a reformation of very basic substance because, unlike Christianity's reformation, the very teachings and writings of its founder (Mohammed) are at the core of the flaw in many cases. They not only allow for, they encourage the types of radicalism we see and we fight. In Christianiy's case, the writings and teachings of Christ were not what was suspect, it was the way they had been twisted (again, IMHO) themsleve. Those teachings of Christ are as good, true, and oriented towards self improbement, liberty of mind and body, and the imrpovement of the human conditionsthrough being good, and willingly following the source of the goodness, today as they were 2000 years ago.
Anyhow, just my opinion and though on this one issue we may diosagree, I respect your opinion, the reasons for it, and your right to it.