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President Bush Attends Iftaar Dinner at the White House
www.whitehouse.gov ^ | Oct 16, 2006

Posted on 10/16/2006 7:22:57 PM PDT by Esther Ruth

President Bush Attends Iftaar Dinner at the White House The State Dining Room

President's Remarks

Ramadan 2006

6:52 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Please be seated. Good evening and "Ramadan Karim." Welcome to the White House. Laura and I are really glad you're here. This is the sixth year that we have been pleased to host an Iftaar at the White House. We're honored to be with you and once again we're honored to pay tribute to the month of Ramadan.

Islam is a religion that brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people around the world. It has transcended racial and ethnic divisions. It has given birth to a rich culture of learning and literature and science. And tonight we honor the traditions of a great faith by hosting the Iftaar here at the White House.

I'm so pleased our Secretary of State, Condi Rice, has joined us. Thank you, Madam Secretary. I'm pleased that Dr. Elias Zerhouni, who is the Director of the NIH, is with us. Good to see you, Elias. I thank Imam Eid, from the Islamic Institute of Boston, is with us. I welcome all the ambassadors and other members of the Diplomatic Corps.

Ramadan is the holiest month in the Muslim calendar. For Muslims in America and around the world, Ramadan is a special time of prayer and fasting, contemplation of God's greatness, and charity and service to those in need. And for people of all faiths, it is a good time to reflect on the values we hold in common, including love of family, gratitude to God, the importance of community, and a commitment to tolerance and religious freedom.

America is a land of many faiths, and we welcome and honor the Muslim faith in our nation. Our society is enriched by our Muslim citizens. Your commitment to your faith reminds us all of the precious gift of religious freedom in our country. America is a more hopeful nation because of the talents and generosity and compassion of our Muslim citizens.

Tonight we have with us a group of special guests -- American Muslims who are serving our country. We have with us New York City police officers and a EMT worker who risked their lives to save their fellow citizens on 9/11; a military doctor and a member of the Navy's Chaplain Corps; members of our Foreign Service; and military veterans who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq to protect our country and help those nations build free and democratic futures.

One of our guests is Farooq Muhammed. Farooq is the son of Pakistani immigrants, and was born and raised in Brooklyn. He spent the past decade with the New York City Fire Department, first as an emergency medical technician and now as a paramedic. Farooq was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, treating victims when the towers collapsed -- he narrowly escaped death himself. He also recently volunteered in the mountains of Kashmir, where he helped treat the victims of last year's devastating South Asian earthquake. Farooq's courage and compassion represent the best of the American spirit.

Paramedic Muhammed is a proud Muslim; he is a patriotic American. And those are characteristics he shares with the other special American guests gathered in this room. All of you bring credit to your faith. You make America a better and stronger country, and we're honored by your presence tonight. (Applause.)

The United States also appreciates the many Muslim nations who stand with us in the war on terror -- some of whom are represented here tonight. You know that the majority of the victims of the terrorists have been innocent Muslims, and many of you have seen terrorist violence in your own cities and your streets. We welcome you here. We are proud to work with you to defeat the terrorists and extremists, and help bring a brighter future to millions of Muslim people throughout the world who yearn for moderation and peace.

On this special evening, we celebrate the millions of Muslims that we are proud to call American citizens. We honor the many Islamic nations that America is proud to call friends. And we renew the ties of friendship that should bind all who trace their faith back to God's call on Abraham.

Laura and I are grateful that you're here. Once again, I wish you a blessed Ramadan. And now Imam Eid will say the blessing.

END 6:58 P.M. EDT


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush; iftaar; islam; muslim; ramadan; ramadan2006; trop; wot
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1 posted on 10/16/2006 7:22:59 PM PDT by Esther Ruth
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To: Esther Ruth

AGAIN??

Cannot this administration learn from past failure?

Uggh.


2 posted on 10/16/2006 7:24:06 PM PDT by petertare (!)
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To: Esther Ruth


Lord have mercy. That's all I can say.


3 posted on 10/16/2006 7:24:08 PM PDT by onyx (We have two political parties: the American Party and the Anti-American Party.)
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To: Esther Ruth

This is SO wrong...!!!


4 posted on 10/16/2006 7:24:45 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Get right with God....eternity is a long time.....)
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To: Esther Ruth

Eweeeeeewwww


5 posted on 10/16/2006 7:26:57 PM PDT by cmsgop ( President Mahmud Ahmadinejad Must Purify Himself in The Waters of Lake Minnetonka)
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To: Esther Ruth

The President had his fingers crossed while saying this...


6 posted on 10/16/2006 7:27:09 PM PDT by BlueAngel
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To: Esther Ruth

Comment Would Have Been Removed by Moderator Anyway


7 posted on 10/16/2006 7:27:29 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Why can't Republicans stand up to Democrats like they do to terrorists?)
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To: Esther Ruth

He goes way out of his way to show Tolerance to Islam... but you know to be honest this must drive the Radical islamists and the Liberals.. equally insane....


8 posted on 10/16/2006 7:28:20 PM PDT by tomnbeverly (Liberals as so blinded by their Hate for Bush that they will be the cause of millions of U.S. Deaths)
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To: BlueAngel
The President had his fingers crossed while saying this...

Taqqiya... It's not just for muslims anymore.

9 posted on 10/16/2006 7:29:40 PM PDT by SlowBoat407 (A living insult to islam since 1959)
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To: petertare
AGAIN?? Cannot this administration learn from past failure? Uggh.

I hope they had pork chops on the menu. Yumm.

10 posted on 10/16/2006 7:31:30 PM PDT by stripes1776
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

That actually made me really LOL!


11 posted on 10/16/2006 7:32:15 PM PDT by Hildy
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To: Esther Ruth

Do you ever get the feeling that the president needs to be deprogrammed by somebody like Mark Steyn? Furthermore, would a real born-again, truly evangelical Christian, president or not, ever say the likes of this:

"Islam is a religion that brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people around the world. It has transcended racial and ethnic divisions. It has given birth to a rich culture of learning and literature and science. And tonight we honor the traditions of a great faith by hosting the Iftaar here at the White House."


Has George noticed the Sunnis and Shi'ites fighting each other in places like, oh, IRAQ? So much for transcending ethnic divisions.

This kind of multi-culti pablum is sickening, especially since it is patently false.


12 posted on 10/16/2006 7:32:33 PM PDT by Cecily (`)
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To: onyx; Brad's Gramma; potlatch; devolve
Reading Efraim Karsh, Islamic Imperialism. I will believe the president's saccharine "religion of Peace" when I see any muslims condemning islamofascism.

As I hear only crickets, I find his naivete to be emetic.

13 posted on 10/16/2006 7:36:17 PM PDT by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: Esther Ruth

"Islam is a religion that brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people around the world. It has transcended racial and ethnic divisions. It has given birth to a rich culture of learning and literature and science. And tonight we honor the traditions of a great faith by hosting the Iftaar here at the White House. "

Here's a more truthful rewrite of the President's remarks:

Islam is a religion that brings terror and death to more than 5 billion people around the world. It has transcended racial and ethnic divisions by torturing and killing all those who dare to be infidels. It has given birth to a rich culture of learning (how to kill the infidel) and literature (of the koran that tells them how to kill the infidel) and science (of how to make bombs and kill innocent people with them). And tonight we honor the traditions of a greatly evil faith by hosting the Iftaar here at the White House.


14 posted on 10/16/2006 7:36:26 PM PDT by FarRightFanatic
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To: Esther Ruth

Bah


15 posted on 10/16/2006 7:36:53 PM PDT by tdewey10 (Can we please take out iran's nuclear capability before they start using it?)
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To: PhilDragoo

I am SICK of it too, but I know he has to make nice to them.


16 posted on 10/16/2006 7:38:14 PM PDT by onyx (We have two political parties: the American Party and the Anti-American Party.)
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To: Esther Ruth

I'd rather he used my tagline.


17 posted on 10/16/2006 7:42:48 PM PDT by Founding Father (The Pedophile moHAMmudd (PBUH---Pigshit be upon him))
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To: Hildy; Extremely Extreme Extremist
That actually made me really LOL!

Yep!!!!

18 posted on 10/16/2006 7:42:54 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Get right with God....eternity is a long time.....)
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To: Cecily

Ever been to Belfast? Rocks in a glass house...


19 posted on 10/16/2006 7:45:46 PM PDT by ItisaReligionofPeace
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To: Esther Ruth
I understand that the President has to be diplomatic, but as Reagan would have said, "there you go again...".

Seriously, we could be about to be hit with a major attack from the Religion of Peace®:. Don't kiss up to these bastards. Have you learned nothing?

20 posted on 10/16/2006 7:46:47 PM PDT by Sender ("Always tell the truth; then you don't have to remember anything." -Mark Twain)
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