Arab-American leader: Keeping general sends negative message [CNN]

[truthisfreedom]

this one goes into the "duh" pile for me, personally.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/10/17/cnna.awad/

Arab-American leader: Keeping general sends negative message
Friday, October 17, 2003 Posted: 10:18 PM EDT (0218 GMT)

(CNN) -- Lt. Gen. William Boykin, a top Pentagon intelligence official, apologized for remarks he made about Muslims, including saying that radical Muslims hate the United States "because we're a Christian nation, because our foundation and roots are Judeo-Christian and the enemy is a guy named Satan."
In a statement issued late Friday, Boykin said, "For those who have been offended by my statements, I offer a sincere apology."
CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien spoke with Nihad Awad, director of the Council on American-Islamic relations, and asked him for his reaction.
AWAD: First of all, let me clarify one point. also said Muslims worship idols, and that shows me a very serious sign of ignorance in a very important position within the Pentagon.
Of course, his apology should be appreciated, but the question is do we want a person with extremist views in this important position, who's in charge of filtering intelligence that will be used in decision-making in life-and-death situations on the war on terrorism, and what kind of message are we sending to the Muslim world, which is already skeptical about our motives and intentions with the Muslim world, in the war in Iraq, and even, of course, in the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
So, if he continues to be there, I think it sends a very negative message to the Muslim world, and we're trying as Americans to win the hearts and minds of the world and Arabs and Muslims and we're now shooting ourselves in the foot if he stays where he is.
<snip>

more.

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. As long as the US continues to kill Muslims, the General should stay

He gave words to what is being said with bombs and bullets.

Given the choice, I would speculate that most victims of the Crusade against Islam would prefer that the General be given his own TV channel and that the militant gunmen, and the war criminals who brought them there be fired.

[truthisfreedom]

4. i'm not sure how constructive it is to further the hatred against our

country. i personally believe the way out of this (now, after the damage is done) is to completely patch up our relationships with UN members, and let the UN do what it has to do as we remove our troops. NOT further the cause AGAINST us... our country and our country's kids don't need to suffer any longer for the sins of our unelected leaders.

[DuctapeFatwa]

6. do you think that words inspire more hatred than slaughter?

It really doesn't matter what the General or any bush regime henchman says as long as their gunmen are engaged in the daily murder of Muslims in 2 countries and paying Israeli soldiers to murder more Muslims in a third, and tuning up for a fourth, fifth, and so on.

Few Iraqis or Afhgans will know of the General's words, nor do more than snort if they do.

They will, however, know who shot their little sister today, or their mother, or blocked the truck with grandpa's medicine, who destroyed their crops, their new baby, who made their little girl defecate in front of a crowd of people, at gunpoint.

They will know why their mother does not have hands.

Do not worry about the General's words.

Worry about the actions of the regime he represents.

[truthisfreedom]

7. i worry about both, obviously. there's no reason to incite more violence.

unless you like that sort of thing.

[DuctapeFatwa]

8. I agree that Americans will feel safer if they hear the General's views

only from ordinary Americans in the street, and if they hear bush regime spin, and if they do not see the results of the General's words in action.

The bush regime thinks so, too, and there are lots of people working very hard to make sure that the media stays on message.

Americans want to hear good news about Iraq - schools being rebuilt, grateful Iraqis welcoming their liberators, and the regime will make sure that you get it, because they know that feeling safe is important.

The best thing that I can do to help is to tell you that while the minority of American voters who disagree with the General may be very upset by his statement of bush regime policy, most of the world pays very little attention to anything said by the bush regime.

What people do pay attention to are the actions of the bush regime, and that does have an impact on your safety.

Until and unless other nations can find the courage to disarm the bush regime, I regret that I cannot be more encouraging regarding the regime's actions and your safety.

I can tell you that the General's words, however, will have little impact in that regard.

The only people surprised or shocked are that minority of Americans who disagree with the General. Nothing he said was either a surprise or a shock to people anywhere else.

[truthisfreedom]

11. American voters will be removing American soldiers from Iraq and bush from

office, not anyone else, as you are suggesting with your statement:
"Until and unless other nations can find the courage to disarm the bush regime, I regret that I cannot be more encouraging regarding the regime's actions and your safety."

[DuctapeFatwa]

12. I admire the idealism, but the voting class supports both regime and

Crusade.

Just yesterday, you may have noticed in Bolivia we got to see a chance of what happens when the people in a country do not support a president and his policies. The people filled the streets, the congress voted unanimously that the president should resign, and today he is in Miami.

Bush has just broken all campaign fund-raising records for his second term.

There are people who post here who do not support either the bush regime or the Crusade against Islam, but even the most bush-lite, Islamophobic, xenophobic trickledown centrist you will see on here is considered by the majority of the affluent voting classes of BOTH parties, to be a left wing extremist. :)

Another thing to consider: have you noticed that even on this site, there are several threads on the subject of the General, and only one on the soldiers that beat the prisoner to death?

To be fair to the soldiers, their victim somehow got to the media, not unlike Little Ali.

My point is that even the best-intentioned folks tend to focus their attention on something like a General saying things that are a surprise only to those well-intentioned folks, while the things that really are directly responsible for the dwindling likelihood that younger DU posters will ever know the joys of grandchildren tend to get polite, soft little grunts of disgust and fall to the bottom.

[Mal]

13. On the bright side

at least it makes you yanks seem a little less hypocritical. Your words and actions finally agree.

[0007]

2. Americans are so screwed with

so-called generals and presidents in charge.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Wel it is the DUH pile

but the righties are again painting this as an attack
on Christianity

What boyken did is similar to what McCarthur did... and
good old Douglas was cashiered...

Boykin should be given a choice... voluntarily resign his
commision for the good of the service, and just go away

or be very publicly cashiered...

Do I think Rummy will do either? Don't hold your breath... after
all the boy said publicly what many in the administration actually
believe... which is a scary though.

[Don_G]

5. Yet Another One?

This culture has a rich history and a long memory. To state the "Lord" sent me on a mission from God might work if he was Greek Orthodox (Muhammed was sheltered by them once) but dosen't work if you're a greedy American fundie.

A little background information:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E07D937C-456F-48C9-90FF-A2C87F2DB724.htm

[teryang]

9. This is a typical example

...of the loaded Orwellian messages from the ruling regime. First of all, he should have been fired immediately. The apology that was given is a non apology implying that there is something wrong with the people who were offended as if it was a perception problem on their part.

The public expression of prejudicial views based on ethnicity and religion by a Pentagon official in reference to his official duties is a violation of DOD equal protection regulations. He should be fired and his superiors should give an apology. The fact that it isn't being done is just more evidence that the regime is operating on fascist manipulation techniques. This guy is no better than a neo nazi skinhead.

Having such a delusional character as this as an "intelligence" official signals an inquisition. The guy is absolutely unqualified to serve in any government at any level in the United States of America. The fact that he is so ideological and wrongheaded makes him incompetent as an intelligence official as a matter of fact.

[PsychoDad]

10. negative message

I think it's exactally the message that is meant to be sent. Rummy praised this man... Didn't discount the message at all.