Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Photo: Los Angeles Times)
Posted on 10/22/2003 12:02:20 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
A senior military intelligence official who cast the U.S. war on terrorism in starkly religious terms during speeches to church groups has asked for an examination of his past speaking activities amid a backlash from Muslim groups and political leaders.
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Photo: Los Angeles Times) |
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today at a Pentagon briefing he thought an official look at Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin's remarks would be "appropriate."
A Pentagon spokesman, Air Force Lt. Col. Ken McClellan, told WorldNetDaily he did not know at this point what the nature of that examination would be.
"It is unclear whether it would be a review, an assessment or an investigation and whether it would be done by the Army, the [Department of Defense], or both, or what the scope might be," he said.
At a news conference last week, Rumsfeld offered praise for the three-star general as an officer with an "outstanding record in the United States armed forces."
The defense secretary said today he had not seen Boykin's remarks at that time, and since then he only has viewed a difficult-to-hear videotape broadcast by NBC News and so remains ""inexpert on precisely what he said."
Boykin, the new deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, is under fire for published reports of comments made during talks to evangelical Christian groups, including his conviction America is a Christian nation at war with radical Islam.
In June, Boykin spoke from the pulpit of his own church in full uniform about his confrontation with a radical Muslim warlord in Somalia, stating, "Well, you know what I knew, that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol."
The highly decorated former head of U.S. Army Special Forces also was quoted as saying, "We're a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian and the enemy is a guy named Satan."
According to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times, Boykin also said, "We in the army of God, in the house of God, kingdom of God have been raised for such a time as this."
Not a 'zealot'
In a statement issued Friday, Boykin, who is involved in the search for Osama bin Laden, apologized for any offense he caused, but did not retract his remarks.
"I am neither a zealot nor an extremist, only a soldier who has an abiding faith," he said.
"I do believe that radical extremists have tried to use Islam as a cause for attacks on America. As I have stated before, they are not true followers of Islam."
The Washington, D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, however, known for its support of the terrorist group Hamas, continues to press for Boykin to be reassigned.
"This apology should be appreciated, but the question is do we want a person with extremist views ... in this position in the war on terror," said Nihad Awad, CAIR's executive director. "If he continues to be there, it sends a very negative message to the Muslim world."
Boykin is in charge of assessing America's intelligence needs in the war on terrorism.
Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts chastised Rumsfeld and President Bush for not criticizing Boykin. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., said "it is outrageous that someone who holds such extreme, closed-minded, zealous views would be allowed such a prominent position in our military."
In the general's defense, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., has written a letter to Rumsfeld asking he not discipline Boykin because it would discourage the free exercise of religion.
The letter, signed by a number of other House members, asserts personal faith is of "vital importance" in making decisions.
CNN reported Boykin's apology originally included a promise to no longer speak at religious events, but Pentagon lawyers and press officers advised that the language be deleted.
The written statement was to say "the sensitivities of my job today dictate that further church speeches are inappropriate."
Other excluded language, according to CNN, included:
On the last point, Boykin's published statement was stronger, asserting, "My references to Judeo-Christian roots in America or our nation as a Christian nation are historically undeniable."
Somehow they aren't upset every Friday when mosques around the world call for Jews' death - and Christians.
Omar Ahmad Co-founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). President & CEO of Silicon Expert Technologies, he is a Palestinian who grew up in a refugee camp in Jordan. " Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant...The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth," -Omar Ahmad
"This apology should be appreciated, but the question is do we want a person with extremist views ... in this position in the war on terror," said Nihad Awad, CAIR's executive director. "If he continues to be there, it sends a very negative message to the Muslim world."
CAIR known supporters of HAMAS and Wahabists everywhere...
Our enemy has parked itself in the middle of America having used Saudi oil money to buy off our leaders and gain immunity for itself...continues to undermine our "War on Terror"...
Now they want to dictate which generals will lead us...naturally they want one's who look the other way on issues of national security...and most importantly will ingnore the gains made by the "moderate" muslims in infiltrating Americas infrastructure... institutions...and influence pandering...
I miss the WAR Department!
Yes they are ..in fact ..they are the heart & soul of Islam...and everyone in intel knows it... but for the sake of public relations...
shhhhhh be vehwee vehwee carefoh..... we ahr hunting foh a waghead
hehehehehehehehe
So, you've come out and said it, Conyers, you blithering moron. Evangelical Christians are now the "extreme, closed-minded zealots" of the world.....................not our cuddly Islamic friends.
Enjoy watching your Party go down in flames, Conyers........you miserable piece of excrement.........and I'll equally enjoy watching you sink into obscurity.
Gen. William Boykin was speaking in a church context. It is a big problem when PC police meddle in anything remotely religious - they do not understand what religion is for.
The general is free to exercise his religion all he wants. But with the President wandering around Asia calling Islam a religion of peace, the general's about to find out that publicly contradicting the Commander-in-Chief is not a career enhancing endevour.
Islamics quote the Koran daily, proclaiming this a Holy War and use their pulpits to constantly proclaim death to the Infidel, claiming this is a war against the enemies of Allah.
Nobody says a word about this but instead insists we are misunderstanding the clear meaning of their numerous proclamations and scripture references.
A top general on our side explains this war in very correct Christian terms to a few Christian groups and now everyone (especially the Muslims) is making a thunderous hue and cry over this trumped up charge and is after his head for daring to tell the truth.
If this is the way we are going to fight this War, we might as well quit right now and save ourselves the toil and trouble. We have lost it already.
General Boykin is 100% correct and needs give apology to nobody. He certainly shouldn't resign or even step down while this nonsense of a charge is "investigated".
This entire episode is only part of the ongoing Jidad. We just have a lot of people who are either too stupid or because of their own hatred of Christianity are attacking his views. This only further proves we have plenty of enemies right here at home who have never attended an Al Qaeda training camp but nontheless are doing their own part in this Jihad!
A pox on CAIR and their terrorist lackeys!
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