Posted on 10/29/2003 5:21:37 AM PST by JesseHousman
WASHINGTON (AFP) - George W. Bush hosted a Ramadan dinner with US Islamic leaders, as the White House was besieged with demands to fire an army general whom made comments some say makes the US-led war on terror out to be a war on Islam.
General William Boykin's comments surfaced two weeks ago, in which he likened the US battle against terror to a battle between Christiandom and the Muslim world, placing the Bush administration in an uncomfortable position.
While the Pentagon (news - web sites) has opened its own investigation, it has also said that it does not expect to ask Boykin to resign. He continued to serve as a undersecretary of defense for intelligence, in charge of tracking down Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) among others.
Bush invited Muslim leaders to an Iftar, the evening feast that breaks the dawn-to-dusk fast Muslims observe during the month of Ramadan. He organized the first White House Iftar after bin Laden and al-Qaeda launched the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
"America is a land of many faiths and we honor, and welcome and value the Muslim faith," Bush said in opening remarks before the meal.
At a mid-day press conference earlier Tuesday, Bush said that the controversial Boykin "doesn't reflect my point of view or the view of this administration."
"Our war is not against the Muslim faith."
"Americans think terrorists are evil people who have hijacked a great religion," Bush said, responding to a reporter's question.
Such statements, however, did not quell the Boykin controversy.
"The obvious response to the Boykin case is to say that because he is now under-secretary of defense for intelligence, he should be relieved of his post," The Washington Post said in an editorial Tuesday.
Boykin made his questionable speeches while wearing his military uniform before conservative Christian groups whom Bush will woo as part of his 2004 reelection campaign.
"It is highly likely that Bush himself, a genuinely devout Christian by all accounts, agrees with at least some, perhaps much, of what Boykin said," the Post speculated.
The US president had just returned from a tour of Asia, which included a three-hour stopover in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population. He also met with several leaders of Muslim countries at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC (news - web sites)) forum.
"Muslims are completely wrong to think that the US is engaged in a war against Islam," New York Times columnist Paul Krugman said.
"But that misperception flourishes in part because the domestic political strategy of the Bush administration -- no longer able to claim the Iraq (news - web sites) war was a triumph, and with little but red ink to show for its economic plans -- looks more and more like a crusade."
Ok, if it makes you feel and warm and fuzzy inside, you are the "principled" one.
Kinda of like I would say to a homeless person, who demands that he is the "principled" one for blaming his troubles on someone else.
JMO, but idiocy reigns when someone tries to plays childhood games such as "King of the hill" with arguements such as who has the most principle as you did with your reply #238.
Ok, you have proclaimed yourself the "King of principle", what real political value have you achieved? How much political value has the homeless person who remains homeless becuase of "principle" achieved?
President GW Bush
Well.......er... almost any nation........ well... ok... some nations
| Indeed, Ramakrishna was proclaimed an incarnation of God in Calcutta in the 19th Century, and became betrothed to a 5 year old. They eventually married, and she moved into the Kali temple where he was a priest, but their marriage was never consummated.
|
The POTUS has read speeches which call the terr'ists evildoers. He is using holywar-speak. They call for jihad. The POTUS calls for a war vs evildoers. What are our soldiers who capture/kill the evildoers?
I need a manual or something from the admin on what is ok to believe/say and what will put me on their poop list. (not that there is such a list) Should we all convert to peaceful Islam, or would that be perceived as a threat?????
"There you go again ..." ;-)
For God's sake, wake up, Bush-critics. When we went to war against Afghanistan, Iraq and the terrorist world in general, it was a conscious and tactical decision on the part of the administration to keep the U.S. Islamic population placated. Think of how things would be if we had to fight a fourth-front, bloody guerrilla war here at home against malcontent Islams (both Arabic and including hundreds of thousands of native Afro-Americans) who became disaffected with a president perceived as despising them.
You can bet the administration knows full well the true nature of the "religion of peace". But the game has to be played (at great political risk to President Bush).
This is called strategery, folks.
Remember, GW told us right off the bat that this would be a war unlike any other fought before in history. Thank God the prez is using some of the same tactics the Islam terrorists and propagandists use against the free world. Will some conservatives and Republicans EVER learn to dig deeper into the nature of things which on the surface appear antithetical to what we believe in?
Leni
Not there any more...I don't believe in calling for removal (except on my own posts). But good. Please pull #235 as well.
-Eric
Ever hear of Fred Phelps? Is he the face of Christianity?Someone will eventually say that he is annoying but basically harmless. This is true. Eric Rudolph, Clayton Waagoner, or Paul Hill would be better examples.
-Eric
Ain't that the truth. I'm Episcopalian and we're currently struggling with heretics in our faith. If you believe the liberal press you'd think they have widespread support but that is completely wrong.
It's truly amazing how much things can change in 600 years. Nowadays Jews AND Christians suffer because of muslims.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
