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."
If you mean solidly against seeing a Communist DIM elected then I would agree, if you mean with his policies then you obviously have no idea what conservative values are.How about Anti-Big Government/Anti-Illegals/Anti-Gun control/Anti-(unbalanced free trade)/Anti-quotas, all of which Bush fails miserably at.
And if what I saw this morning "Bush says America is not ready for a stop to abortions", then he even fails on this Conservative issue. So please tell me what Conservative base are you talking about?
For all its fecklessness, the LP has typically drawn several times more votes than any of the attempts in that direction. There just isn't a niche for that sort of "big government is bad, except that it should crack down on them weirdos" cafeteria conservatism.
The "so-called" conservative base that doesn't acknowledge Bush signing an historic partial birth abortion ban and a "so-called" conservative base that goes nuts over when a President doesn't foam at the mouth and say "Death to all Muslims".
That so-called conservative base is small but very noisy and are prone to shoving people away rather than reaching out.
This one:
So not only is Dubya doing better than his father, he's also more solidly with his conservative base than he was after being elected. Despite the handful of you malcontents loudly proclaiming on FR how he's losing his base.
You mean Tom Tancredo, a person who has never run for a statewide office?
Shucks, and here I thought 400+ Billion in medicare givaways,Amnesty for Illegals, CFR, Billions to Africa, (unbalanced) Freetrade laws, saying that he would sign an extention to the AWB were really Important to conservative. Well color me wrong, you win, just keep doing that "Party at all costs" thingy and all we be well... Sleeeepppp Sheeepppp.
I don't think Donald Rumsfeld is living in a fantasy world but you are welcome to send him your recommendations. Be sure to ask for a date by which the administration should ask Congress to declare war, and on which countries.
..........especially since it controls vast oil resrves we depend on.
After elevating Islam to such high level of government acceptance, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the Postal Service requested the whole month of Ramadan to be declared a paid holiday for its employees. After all, seems like they're always closed for a paid legal holiday anyway.
He means Tom Tancredo, the one that would wipe the floor with any Dim or RINO that would challenge him.
You can keep whining that you do not have your perfect 110% candidate and just one other thing, you never will.
Maybe someday you will enter the real world.
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