Rumsfeld defends general who commented on war, Satan

CNN.Com / AP ^ | Thursday, October 16, 2003 Posted: 2:25 PM EDT (1825 GMT) | Associated Press

[Bobby777]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are defending a new deputy undersecretary of defense "who has reportedly cast the war on terror" in religious terms.

Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, whose promotion and appointment was confirmed by the Senate in June, has said publicly that he sees the war on terrorism as a clash between Judeo-Christian values and Satan, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

[Bobby777]

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

I'm afraid I agree with Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin ...

[Bobby777]

FReepmail me if you'd like to be on or off this ping list ...

(kattracks, John Huang2 I pinged you to this specifically ... I don't have you on the ping list since you post so many articles ... keep up the good work)

[Terp]

Agree or disagree with the General it's still called freedom of speech!

[Verginius Rufus]

The headline is ambiguous. Did Rumsfeld defend Satan?

[Mr. Mojo]

I agree with him as well.

[cmsgop]

Me Too!

Was it something he should have said at home. Yup!

But I agree with him none the less.....

[Bobby777]

agreed!

[Bobby777]

"Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are defending a new deputy undersecretary of defense "who has reportedly cast the war on terror" in religious terms. "

[dennisw]

 

CAIR is pissed off>>>>>

 

 

 

 

Top U.S. General Says Muslims Worship 'Idol'; Islamic group calls for Reassignment Over 'Extremist' Views

10/16/03 2:18:00 PM

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To: National Desk

Contact: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726, or cair@cair-net.org; Rabiah Ahmed, 202-488-8787, 202-439-1441, or rahmed@cair-net.org; both of CAIR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today called for the reassignment of a top U.S. general who says he is in "the army of God" and claims Muslims worship an "idol."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is responding to investigative reports by the Los Angeles Times and NBC News that paint Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin as an "intolerant extremist...who believes that Islam is an idolatrous, sacrilegious religion against which we are waging a holy war." In a discussion of his efforts to capture a Muslim Somali warlord, Boykin said, "I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol."

Speaking in uniform before a Christian group in June, Boykin claimed "radical Islamists" hate America "because we're a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian...and the enemy is a guy named Satan." Our "spiritual enemy," Boykin said, "will only be defeated if we come against them in the name of Jesus."

Boykin, the new deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, is assigned to track down Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and other high-profile targets in the Muslim world.

SEE: "The Pentagon Unleashes a Holy Warrior" and "General Casts War in Religious Terms" at http://www.latimes.com/. Search using the term "Boykin."

SEE ALSO: "Quotes from Gen. Boykin Speeches," http://www.msnbc.com/news/980841.asp and "Top Terrorist Hunter's Divisive Views," http://www.msnbc.com/news/980764.asp.

"Putting a man with such extremist views in a critical policy-making position sends entirely the wrong message to a Muslim world that is already skeptical about America's motives and intentions," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad.

[1rudeboy]

Previous thread here.

[dennisw]

Hahhahha. Gen. Boykin said Muslims worship an idol. That's waving a red flag at a bull. CAIR will be seething for days.

[Bobby777]

Appearing in dress uniform before a religious group in Oregon in June, Boykin said Islamic extremists hate the United States "because we're a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christians. ... And the enemy is a guy named Satan."

I like this guy ... he tells it straight and without the sugar-coating ... a civilian salutes you Lt. Gen. Boykin ...

[Tempest]

I'm wondering when Sean Penn, The Dixie Chicks, and Susan Sarandon will be showing up to defend this mans freedom of speech. . .

[Bobby777]

thanks ... I typed in the last part of the headline ... didn't come up on the first page which went back to June ... oh well ...

[Bobby777]

as opposed to all their wacko leaders in various countries who are in charge ... they want it all their way ... they ain't gonna get it ... the wacko in Malaysia said it all today ... calling on 1.3 billion Muslims to wipe out millions of Jews ...

[Terry Mross]

He did NOT say Muslims worship an idol. He said the warlord he was fighting WORSHIPED an idol. The problem with the pc police these days is they make a headline that is erroneous, it get repeated, then accepted as fact.

If Bin Laden and Saddam's god thinks it's okay to fly airplanes into buildings and feed people through shredders I, too, believe they're worshiping idols.

[Bobby777]

hehe ... I'm sure they don't understand that what the General is saying is true ... though it ought to be plain after September 11 and the Intifada against Israel ... the Bali bombing, the Marine barracks bombing, the attacks in Morocco, in the Sudan, in Burkina Faso, in Algeria, in Togo, and Ethiopia, and Angola, in Afghanistan, in Lebanon, in Syria, and on and on and on and on, ad infinitum ...

[Bobby777]

it is an idol ... to a moon god ... a rock inside Mecca ...

[Mr Rogers]

I agree with him, but he had no business wearing his uniform while making those comments. When you are wearing the uniform, you represent the military and the nation.

[1rudeboy]

Happens all the time. The only way I know around it is to do an "order by post time" search, instead of "order by relevance." The previous thread has some additional background on this general. Interesting stuff, and I thought I'd link the thread in case someone wants to do research.