Faced with fierce conflicts over a proposed New York mosque and threats to burn Qurans, President Obama pleaded today for more tolerance toward Muslims as an essential part of the common fight against global terrorism.

"We have to make sure that we don't start turning on each other," Obama said at a news conference a day before the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The news conference also featured discussions of the economy, health care, and Afghanistan.

The mere threat of ceremonies to burn copies of the Muslim holy book "has made life a lot more difficult for our men and women in uniform, who already have a very difficult job," Obama said.

The president again endorsed the right of Muslims to build a mosque and Islamic cultural center two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks. In answering a question about that project, Obama launched into an extended plea for tolerance:

With respect to the mosque in New York, you know, I think I've been pretty clear on my position here. And that is is that this country stands for the proposition that all men and women are created equal, that they have certain inalienable rights. One of those inalienable rights is to practice their religion freely. And what that means is that if you could build a church on a site, you could build a synagogue on a site, if you could build a Hindu temple on a site, then you should be able to build a mosque on a site.

Now, I recognize the extraordinary sensitivities around 9/11. You know, I -- I've met with families of 9/11 victims in the past. You know, I can only imagine the -- the continuing pain and anguish and sense of loss that they may go through. And tomorrow, we as Americans are going to be joining them in prayer and remembrance. But I go back to what I said earlier. We are not at war against Islam. We're at war against terrorist organizations that have distorted Islam or falsely used the banner of Islam to engage in their destructive acts. And we've got to be clear about that. We've got to be clear about that because if we're going to deal with the problems that Ed Henry (of CNN) was talking about, if we're going to successfully reduce the terrorist threat, then we need all the allies we can get. The -- the folks who are most interested in a war between the United States or the West and Islam are Al Qaida. That's what they've been banking on. And, fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world are peace-loving, are interested in the same things that you and I are interested in: How do I make sure I can get a good job? How can I make sure that my kids get a decent education? How can I make sure I'm safe? How can I improve my lot in life? And so they have rejected this violent ideology for the most part -- overwhelmingly. And -- and so from a national security interest, we want to be clear about who the enemy is here. It's a handful of -- a tiny minority of people who are engaging in horrific acts, and have killed Muslims more than anybody else. The other reason it's important for us to remember that is because we've got millions of Muslim Americans, our fellow citizens, in this country. They're going to school with our kids. They're our neighbors. They're our friends. They're our co-workers. And, you know, when we start acting as if their religion is somehow offensive, what are we saying to them? : I've got Muslims who are fighting in Afghanistan in the uniform of the United States armed services. They're out there putting their lives on the line for us, and we've got to make sure that we are crystal clear, for our sakes and their sakes, they are Americans, and we honor their service. And part of honoring their service is making sure that they understand that we don't differentiate between them and us. It's just us. And that is a principle that I think is -- is -- is going to be very important for us to -- to sustain. And I think tomorrow is an excellent time for us to -- to reflect on that. Thank you very much, everybody.

(Posted by David Jackson)