General Who Made Anti-Islam Remark Tied to POW Case

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | May 11, 2004 | Andrea Shalal-Esa

[ride the whirlwind]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army general under investigation for anti-Islamic remarks has been linked by U.S. officials to the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal, which experts warned could touch off new outrage overseas.

A Senate hearing into the abuse of Iraqi prisoners was told on Tuesday that Lt. Gen. William Boykin, an evangelical Christian under review for saying his God was superior to that of the Muslims, briefed a top Pentagon (news - web sites) civilian official last summer on recommendations on ways military interrogators could gain more intelligence from Iraqi prisoners.

Critics have suggested those recommendations amounted to a senior-level go-ahead for the sexual and physical abuse of prisoners, possibly to "soften up" detainees before interrogation -- a charge the Pentagon denies.

Congressional aides and Arab-American and Muslim groups said any involvement by Boykin could spark new concern among Arabs and Muslims overseas the U.S. war on terrorism is in fact a war on Islam.

"This will be taken as proof that what happened at Abu Ghraib (prison) is evidence of a broader culture of dehumanizing Arabs and Muslims, based on the American understanding of the innate superiority of Christendom," said Chris Toensing, editor of Middle East Report, a U.S.-based quarterly magazine.

One Senate aide, who asked not to be identified, said any involvement by Boykin could be explosive. "Even if he knew about the abuse, that would be a big deal," he said.

Boykin has declined comment, and defense officials could not say what the extent of his involvement or knowledge about the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners might have been.

Boykin touched off a firestorm last October after giving speeches while in uniform in which he referred to the war on terrorism as a battle with "Satan" and said America had been targeted "because we're a Christian nation." He said later he was not anti-Islam or any other religion.

President Bush (news - web sites) distanced himself from Boykin's remarks, but the Pentagon said it would not fire the general, who played a role in the 1993 clash with Somali warlords and the ill-fated hostage rescue attempt in Iran in 1980.

CALLS FOR REASSIGNMENT

Hussein Ibish, communications director for the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, said his group and others had repeatedly called for Boykin to be reassigned to a less sensitive job until the Pentagon inspector general completes his investigation of Boykin's remarks.

Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) Chairman John Warner and congressional Democrats have also urged Boykin to step aside, but the Pentagon has defended his right to free speech.

Defense officials said the IG investigation, begun last fall, was nearly done and a report could be issued next month.

"I'm not saying Boykin is directly responsible. ... But there is a collective failure here," Ibish said. "There is a tolerance in our society, in our government, in our media for hateful rhetoric when directed against Arabs and Muslims.

"It definitely contributes to a climate in which these young MPs apparently felt it was ... OK to abuse Muslim and Arab men like this."

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations, chided the Pentagon for not acting promptly to discipline Boykin and the delayed engagement of top military leaders on the prisoner abuse scandal.

"It creates a climate in which ... the perpetrators believe they're carrying out the policies of those above them, whether those policies are explicit or not," Hooper said.

[goodnesswins]

Yup....I think today's "activities" may be a turning point in this WAR.....a wake up call, maybe, again....course, I'm afraid it'll take another 9-11 or worse for many American's to WAKE UP!

[smokinleroy]

Can't miss an opportunity to blame the Christians.

I haven't heard mention of this yet, but what has been done to determine if any (if not most or all) of the abuse perpetrators or their superiors were working at the behest of the Kerry campaign to hurt Bush? We know that NOTHING is off limits to these vermin this time around.

[lancer]

Reuters? Hooper? God, what great sources of information!

[cwb]

From what I remember of Tagabu's testimony, he placed the blame only as high as the brigade level, which included the female General who's blaming everyone else for the abuse.

[ride the whirlwind]

I've been thinking that too. Sadly, a horrible act was committed against our civilian guy.....and maybe it'll help to wake a few out of their complacency.

[montag813]

Nick berg, Danny Pearl, 3000, 9-11, 192 3-11.

Wonder who the enemy is?

Viacom, DNC, Hackworth, NYT.

We know who the enemy is.

[kcvl]

could spark new concern among Arabs and Muslims overseas

Tough *hit!

[ride the whirlwind]

From today:

"Failure in leadership, sir, from the brigade commander on down, lack of discipline, no training whatsoever and no supervision," Taguba, the author of a Pentagon report on the abuse, told the latest Senate hearing on the scandal, which has drawn worldwide outrage. According to him, that's as high as it seems to go (for now anyway).

[Psycho_Bunny]

Senate hearing into the abuse of Iraqi prisoners was told on Tuesday that Lt. Gen. William Boykin, an evangelical Christian under review for saying his God was superior to that of the Muslims...

People who know me know that I'm an agnostic.

There's no one I'd trust more right now, than a honest, principled Christian.

[joesnuffy]

This also shows that the DOD strategy to humilate these pos was the correct one...

Its too bad that the untrained reservists are getting excoriated for what shows now to be a valid strategy in dealing with such vermin...

We will now either show these terrorists that we will not only meet their level of violence but we will raise the anty by 100 times....or we will show them we have no will to win....and we will tie our troops hands as our leaders spend time wringing theirs...

While Karl Rove cant figure out who to blame...without losing more votes....

Guys like General Tommy Franks should be put in charge as Sec Def....

And...for the record....the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob...is the only God....

YHWH AKBAR

imo

[LurkedLongEnough]

There is a tolerance in our society, in our government, in our media....

Umm, isn't that what you were soapboxing for, you liberal weenies?

Oh, sorry. You were talking about just the things that YOU want to tolerate. Is the act of ignoring that our enemies beheaded someone on video a demonstration of your type of "tolerance"? Grrr

What an infuriating piece.

[PattonReincarnated]

Congressional aides and Arab-American and Muslim groups said any involvement by Boykin could spark new concern among Arabs and Muslims overseas the U.S. war on terrorism is in fact a war on Islam.

Excuse, me please. Exactly what is wrong with the idea that we are fighting a war on Islam? We did not declare the war on Islam - THEY DECLARED WAR ON US. Get used it, or forget your praying to your GOD. I am so sick of this PC crap. Islam is not the religion of peace. So get used to it. Please read the following in an earlier post I made today: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1133477/posts?page=133#133

 

[festus]

;I didn't notice, but did we get an apology today from the
;moderate Muslims around the world?

Moderate Muslims..... Is that like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus ?

[Ben Chad]

"I'm afraid it'll take another 9-11 or worse for many American's to WAKE UP!"

Sad but true.

[k2blader]

So now the domestic terrorists at CAIR are after Boykin again.

[ride the whirlwind]

No, we sure as heck didn't start this war, but we're going to finish it (long as we keep JfnK out of the White House, that is).

I read your informative post. This is off topic but I have to say it - JfnK has something in common with Muhammad - "he used a rich widow to make his success".

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Husein Ibish

Dead man walking. I can hear is arteries clogging and almost see the massive heart attack that the fat ass is going to have-oh, and he is gay.

[Rummyfan]

Dead man walking. I can hear is arteries clogging and almost see the massive heart attack that the fat ass is going to have-oh, and he is gay.

Really? I guess he doesn't care that the Taliban would drop a wall on his gay donut swelled butt!