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."
Then you are very honorable indeed.
Or is it only pot smokers have heart attacks?
No pot smokers are not the only ones who have heart attacks. I was just trying to show that any day can be our last on this Earth. Like I said before I could be hit by a bus today, but I am not going to ban busses. I am also not going to state that busses are completely harmless, either.
Am I rejoicing over HeavyD's death, no. It is quite sad since he left behind a loving family, but I will remark that it seemed, IMO, that HeavyD did have an attitude that he was a god and nothing would hurt him and that he was the example that heavy pot smoking did "no harm". His words, not mine.
I am in no way perfect and never will be and that is why I don't consciously try to tempt fate with hubris.
Americans need to consider what is contained in the Koran, namely:
3:151-152 "We shall certainly strike terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved. .. and certainly Allah had made good his promise to you when you were slaying them to pieces by his permission."
8:12-13 "I will indeed strike terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. So smite on your enemy's necks and above these on their heads and strike off all their fingertips. This punishment is given them because they opposed Allah and his Messenger........
9:29 "Fight those who believe not in Allah... 9:123 "Ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him)."
The Koran is full of passages such as these that prove islam is the religion of hate, murder and enslavement.
I wonder if, before and after dinner, there were readings from this book of the rantings of a madman?
"The government is religiously neutral"It's the addition of such things that is not "neutral". If you look at Roy Moore's rhetoric or the debate about the 1954 Pledge change, the purpose was to advance and promote specific religious beliefs. That's not government's job.Then if the government is religiously neutral, how come we are having such big rows over things like the Ten Commandments in courthouses and the use of the word god in the pledge?
That would not seem real neutral.
-Eric
I wonder if, before and after dinner, there were readings from this book of the rantings of a madman?Interesting choice of words there:
"merely the ravings of a maniac, no more worthy, nor capable of explanation than the incoherences of our own nightly dreams."
Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Alexander Smyth of January 17, 1825
He was speaking of the Book of Revelations.
-Eric
What you are advocating is tribal justice, wherein if one individual harms another, then everyone in his tribe is guilty and can be punished by anyone in the tribe whose member was harmed.The Geneva Convention calls this "collective punishment" and bans it. It's really an accurate phrase, because such an approach is indeed collectivism.
-Eroc
Then they don't really believe in Islam or the Koran and would not be true Muslims. Maybe they are MINOs --- muslims in name only which is smart because leaving the religion gets you the death penalty.
Then why are we killing Iraqis who aren't Saddam Hussein?
I think there are ways to excommunicate Christians who step too far outside their individual churches. A Catholic who participates in abortion can be excommunicated ---- and then not a Catholic anymore. Excomminucation is one good way of keeping things together somewhat.
The Geneva Convention calls this "collective punishment" and bans it.Since the war ended, how many have we killed that didn't attack us first?Then why are we killing Iraqis who aren't Saddam Hussein?
During the war, how many did we kill outside of the normal prosecution of the war?
-Eric
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.