Posted on 11/19/2001 3:58:05 PM PST by Ironword
President George W. Bush listens to Iman Abdullah Muhammad Khouj (L) as Bush hosts a traditional Ramadan dinner at the White House November 19, 2001. The White House called it an unprecedented gesture by the U.S. president, who emphasizes that the war in Afghanistan is not a war on Muslims. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
Monday November 19 2:51 PM ET
Courting Muslims, Bush to Take Part in Ramadan Dinner
By Adam Entous
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) sits down with ambassadors from Muslim countries on Monday for a traditional Ramadan dinner as he courts Islamic support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism.
The White House called it an unprecedented gesture by the U.S. president, who emphasizes that the war in Afghanistan (news - web sites) is not a war on Muslims. ''We're a nation of many faiths,'' Bush told reporters before the dinner, which is part of a broader public relations campaign by the administration aimed at blunting criticism of the air strikes, which Washington refused to halt during the Muslim holy month.
``Out of this war had come a recognition of the importance of building relations with Muslim states, with Muslim countries,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said. ``This is part of that.''
The White House expects 50 ambassadors from Muslim nations to gather in the East Room on Monday evening for prayers. Bush will join them afterward to break the sunrise to sundown fast with the customary Iftar meal in the State Dining Room.
Fleischer said it would be the first Ramadan dinner held at the White House and attended by a U.S. president. The Clinton administration had organized similar events at the State Department.
``The president, in his remarks, is going to talk about the importance of faith and the importance of tradition,'' Fleischer said. ``He will note how important the month of Ramadan is and the importance of respect for all.''
The Ramadan dinner follows criticism that the Bush administration has not been paying enough attention to the public relations side of its war on terrorism and the Taliban.
It comes as U.S. bombers struck at Kandahar in the south of Afghanistan and around Kunduz in the north, in a drive to track down Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), the Saudi-born militant accused of masterminding the Sept. 11 hijack attacks, and to defeat his long-time protectors, the strictly Muslim Taliban.
Fleischer defended Bush's decision to press forward with the military campaign during Ramadan.
``I think most American Muslims want to defend this country, too. It's their country as well. And they're very pleased to see that the president has been resolute in taking action to protect this country,'' Fleischer said.
In addition to the Ramadan dinner, the State and Defense Departments will hold high profile meetings with Muslim leaders and business executives to highlight the Taliban's oppression of women in Afghanistan.
First lady Laura Bush said in a Reuters interview on Monday that a post-Taliban government in Kabul should ``absolutely'' include women. The Taliban barred women from working outside the home, attending school or leaving their homes unless accompanied by a husband, father, brother or son.
Also on Monday, U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Andrew Natsios gave Bush a progress report on U.S. efforts to rush food and other humanitarian aid to the Afghan people before the onset of winter.
``The White House is setting a table, not only for ourselves domestically, but for other nations, for the starving and the hungry of Afghanistan,'' Fleischer said.
Wow! You're right! I wonder what he's thinking...
So's Tex-Mex . . .
I think the two Muslims are praying . . . Bush and Powell have that "Oh s%#@" kinda look.
That's fine with me, I enjoy life in our civil society. But if these folks are invited to pray to a nonexistent, ritualistic deity in the White House, then so should the Wiccans, the witches, the Satanists, etc.
Why did I listen to Pop?
-penny
If that were the case, they wouldn't have come to the White House.
When David ordered the census contrary to the will of God, the people reaped the whirlwind.
I looked for the menu ... like the one served for Putin ... "mesquite barbecued tenderloin and pecan pie" but couldn't find it.
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