President Helps Rededicate DC's Islamic Center

Yesterday, President George W. Bush participated in the rededication of Washington, DC's Islamic Center. The rededication took place 50 years after President Eisenhower attended the original dedication of the Center. In his remarks (full text), the President said:

The greatest challenge facing people of conscience is to help the forces of moderation win the great struggle against extremism that is now playing out across the broader Middle East. We've seen the expansion of the concept of religious freedom and individual rights in every region of the world -- except one. In the Middle East, we have seen instead the rise of a group of extremists who seek to use religion as a path to power and a means of domination.

The President also announced that, for the first time, he would appoint a special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference as part of the country's efforts to reach out to Muslim communities around the world. A White House "Fact Sheet" emphasized the opportunity that exists to help forces of moderation oppose radicals who purport to act in the name of Islam.