not according to GW
I’m not sure it’s the president’s job to criticize a religion. His job is to run the country, and this country is founded on the principal of blind justice.
The president is to be commended for his grace and professionalism, as well as his restraint, among his many other surpassing leadership skills.
The US is a secular democracy in no small part so as to protect the practice of religion. “Tolerance” is a two-way street, and the religions owe some allegiance to the democracy, whether they like it or not. In this context, a “religion” that advises the killing or enslavement of the very people who comprise the democracy stops being a “religion” and simply becomes an enemy.
In essence, it is an error of thinking and tactics to grant the jihadis any “religious” standing at all. I wouldn’t say Bush has done this overtly, but he has veered in that direction too often. The fact of the matter is, Muslims in America and other parts of the free world have a special problem to deal with: they are guilty and must prove themselves innocent. All groups have their particular crosses to bear. There are ways a president can hold the Muslim world at large more responsible for the cultists within their ranks. And make them pay when they do not.
I think Bush has been too graceful, and possibly by orders of magnitude.