This speech gives a perfect illustration of why the President keeps repeating the 'Religion of Peace' mantra: not because Mohammedanism *is* a religion of peace, but because if we win the war (in grand strategic terms) it will involve crushing the Salafists (the religious tendancy of which Al Qaeda and Hizb ut Tihur are the militant and subversive wings) and the Twelver 'Hasteners' (the religious tendancy undergirding the Iranian lunatics), What will be left of Islam will be folks like PM Maliki, the Aga Khan, King Abudullah of Jordan, and the nice Pakistani cabby down the street, who all think more of the sura that says killing one innocent is like killing all mankind than they do of the Verse of the Sword, and just want to live and let live.
The 'Religion of Peace' slogan is a propaganda tool, the enemy's if it's used to cover evil intent, but ours if it's used as a call to the Muslims who don't really want to fight jihad to do exactly what they want, and *not* fight jihad.
Good analysis.
I give Bush very high marks for how he has handled the WOT and Islam. He is friends with most of the muslim world leaders, or at least he has their respect. That includes places now like Libya, Yemen, Morrocco, Jordan (who sided with Saddam in the gulf war), the Saudis, Musharrif, Kuwait, and the UAE. We are isolating Iran and Syria.
And he doesn't send weak milquetoasts like Albright and Warren Christopher to chat with them. He sends a very firm Rummy, Condi and Cheney.
The U.S. pulling out
or
The Iraqi Shiites joining up with their Iranian brethren ?