President Barack Obama’s aides say he is considering making a major foreign policy speech from an Islamic capital during his first 100 days in office so as to correct the image of the United States in the Islamic world. In an interview with Chicago Tribune on December 10, 2008 Obama said: "I think that we have a unique opportunity to improve the U.S. image in the world, especially the Muslim world."
According to www.moroccoboard.com , a website speaks in the name of Americans from Moroccan origins, Obama will choose to go to Morocco because it was the first country in the world to recognize the independence of the United States, and that was by Sultan Sidi Muhammad Ben Abdullah, the most progressive of the Barbary leaders who ruled Morocco from 1757 to 1790, The Sultan issued a declaration on December 20, 1777, announcing that all vessels sailing under the American flag could freely enter Moroccan ports. By issuing this declaration, Morocco became one of the first states to acknowledge publicly the independence of the American Republic.
Washington Mayor, Adrien Fenty, who has recently celebrated his 36th birthday with a big party with over a thousand people at a sprawling home in the upscale section of Washington, DC. said to the Moroccan-Americans invitees specially those of Washington Moroccan Club members that his great grand father was Moroccan. He also added concerning the campaign to host Obama’s first foreign policy speech in Morocco: "it is a good Idea, Morocco is an ideal location for that speech".
Hassan Samrhouni, the founder of www.obamatospeakinmorocco.com, sees that there are many reasons that would lead president Barack Obama to give a speech in Morocco; first of all Morocco is a long time friend of the United States and would be proud to host such historical event. Secondly, Morocco as a moderate, tolerating, peaceful, Arab, Muslim and African country enjoys political stability and diversity of Amazigh, Arabs, Christians and Jews, who have lived side by side for centuries. Thirdly, Morocco is strategically located on both the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, within 7 miles from Europe and serves as a gateway to both Africa and the Arab world.
On the other hand, the Sudanese journalist Talha Jibril, a correspondent of the daily newspaper “Asharq Al-Awsat” in Washington, has unveiled that King Mohammed VI, who recently traveled to the U.S. On a private visit, met with top aides to U.S. President Barack Obama. Another source close to King Mohammed VI, who asked not to be named, has asserted this news as well. But, he has not made clear whether King’s visit is related to the campaign to host Obama’s first foreign policy speech in Morocco.
