BUSH HOSTED RAMADAN DINNER AAT WHITE HOUSE (Mired in controversy)

Yahoo ^ | 10/28/2003 | Staff

[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."

[AAABEST]

You're missing the point. The purpose is to get them to STOP the activity which is killing and maiming innocent people. Nothing has worked.

When these people come out and tell us that they want to kill us and our families they mean it and they should be taken at their word and in turn killed themselves. No matter if they're in the street, in a Mosque, adult, child whoever. If you declare that you intend to kill innocent people or incite others to do so.... you die. If you're caught using a Mosque to compel your followers to commit murder it's no longer a religious building, it's a den of murderous enemies. Bye-bye mosque.

I guarantee the activity will stop. Suicide bombings would also cease if the bomber knew that his remaining family members instead of being rewarded or honored, would share the same fate of the family members he intends to butcher.

You may think you're being compassionate by taking up for these inhumans, but you're not. Compassion would be putting a stop to the madness and murder once and for all.

The thing that scares these cowardly pigs the most is if we should get a hair and start playing by their rules. It's evident by the way they squeal when you run the idea by them.

This is mental CJ, it's a battle of wills and it's not going away.

[Cultural Jihad]

I agree this is mental, but it's a collectivist mentality you are advocating. You said: "The purpose is to get them to STOP the activity which is killing and maiming innocent people." Again, advocating for the decapitation of children who have not even BEGUN to murder under the pretext of STOPPING their uncle is collectivist punishment worthy of Stalinism or National Socialism, but not conservatism.

[Geezerette]

I have to sadly agree with you ... I was hoping that he is/was naive, but there have been tooo many instances that show otherwise.

May God save America in spite of the politicians!

g

[Geezerette]

Thanks for the reply!

Like I said to another reply on this thread, "May God save America from the politicians", or words to that effect.

g

[a_Turk]

>> it's much fuzzier to be a muslim

The faith is a bit younger, thus the reformation will come later.

>> but who gets to define it?

The ones who have a higher standard of living will probably be the ones to eventually do that.

[a_Turk]

>> Bye-bye mosque. I guarantee the activity will stop.

Anyone who thinks that is a friggin flake....

[AAABEST]

Uh, just a point of fact: You can't incite your followers to slaughter innocent people in a mosque that no longer exists.

[Kerberos]

"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."

I agree.

[Kerberos]

"You can't meet your claims. You speak lies without shame. You spout rhetoric without attempting to back it up. You purposefully rouse rabble."

How so?

[Kerberos]

You can't meet your claims. You speak lies without shame. You spout rhetoric without attempting to back it up. You purposefully rouse rabble."

How so?

[Kerberos]

"It's a literal statement. Asking "how" is not an appropriate social response."

How is that not a proper social response?

I have gathered that you have some sort of position on a comment that I have made. However after many attempts on my part to get you to state your position, you have yet to do so.

All I have been getting from you so far is simply slander and accusations. To wit:

To: Kerberos
How so?
By completely and totally meeting the dictionary definition for the term "cop-out":
cop-out also cop·out
n. Slang
1. A failure to fulfill a commitment or responsibility or to face a difficulty squarely.
2. A person who fails to fulfill a commitment or responsibility.
3. An excuse for inaction or evasion.
You can't meet your claims. You speak lies without shame. You spout rhetoric without attempting to back it up. You purposefully rouse rabble.

389 posted on 10/30/2003 2:31 PM CST by seamole (Beware of diplomats bearing papers.)
To: Kerberos
That is a complete and total cop-out on your part.

191 posted on 10/29/2003 11:36 AM CST by seamole (Beware of diplomats bearing papers.)
To: Kerberos
So Christians can't "honor, and welcome and value" a heathen religion without losing their Christianity?

66 posted on 10/29/2003 8:29 AM CST by seamole (Beware of diplomats bearing papers.)
To: Kerberos
Wait a minute, I thought America was a Christian country.
I don't think you'll find a denial of that in his statement.
America is a land of many faiths
Does the above deny that America is a Christian country?
we honor, and welcome and value the Muslim faith
Does the above deny that America is a Christian country?

43 posted on 10/29/2003 8:15 AM CST by seamole (Beware of diplomats bearing papers.)

Are these appropriate social responses?

If you have a position please state it and we might be able to discuss it. Otherwise this conversation does not have much of a future.

K

[JesseHousman]

That difference is why the 911 hijackers avoided Islamic communities when they were here. Their fundamentalist views combined with their non-obvservant lifestyles would have made them suspicious.

I don't believe that sentence for a minute.

The only reason they avoid islamic communities in America is to find non-muslim girls around nine years old so they can emulate the madman, muhammed.

Their succor and support is filtered through these islamic communities!

[JesseHousman]

As with all religions, including catholics .. there are some that take it a bit to far and over the edge...

What Catholics have taken it too far and over the edge?

Comparing Catholic Christians to islamic followers of the madman Muhammad is like comparing Nazi death camp functionaries to the inmates.

[JesseHousman]

So essentially you've abandoned your prior argument about the experience of the Jews in Spanish history, and catapulted into generalizations about contemporary events...It is you Belie who is engaged in excessive tradinng Pokemon decks , or excessively engaging in other nefarious pasttimes.

I never advanced an argument about the jews in Spanish history at any time. My original point was about the Christian Spaniards under the destructive rule of the muslims.

READ what others post to see how comments develop before you show your total lack of any credibility and jump in like some enlightened smartass.

[JesseHousman]

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.All muslims read the Koran and, as it's an important tenet of their "faith" they are obliged to follow its teachings.

Read the Koran.

All muslims are potential butcherers of Christians and Jews and to believe otherwise indicates complete ignorance and show that the poster has absolutely no idea what the Koran teaches its adherents.

[JesseHousman]

...the Muslims I know aren't making it a point to kill infidels,...

Do a quick read of the Koran then run as fast as you can from the muslims you know.

[deannadurbin]

>>What I wish he had said:
"Good evening. Happy Hanukah. Welcome to the White House. Congress has just passed, and I have just signed into law, legislation that would outlaw Mecca for ever. We begin bombing in 5 minutes."


LOL!!!! In our dreams.

[rintense]

Nope. Won't do it. It isn't my place to judge them. They have been extremely good friends and would do anything for me. And they make incredible curry chicken!