Kerry, Lieberman urge ouster of Army officer

[Karmadillo]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/10/18/kerry_lieberman_urge_ouster_of_army_officer/

DEARBORN, Mich. -- Two Democratic presidential candidates speaking before an Arab-American audience yesterday called on the Bush administration to dismiss a high-ranking Army official for claiming that Muslims did not worship a "real God."

Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut condemned the words of Lieutenant General William Boykin, the officer leading the hunt for Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Boykin told evangelical Christian audiences that God was on the side of America's war on terrorism and said that Muslims worship an "idol." The comments were made public in a report aired on NBC News this week.

Kerry, speaking by video hookup at the conference sponsored by the Arab American Institute, a nonprofit civic and cultural organization, called Boykin's words "un-American," saying they "do not do honor to the victims of Sept. 11. They do not do honor to those that fought for America in Afghanistan." Lieberman said, "The war on terror is a war on terrorists not religion."

Arab-Americans gathered here to discuss political strategy expressed outrage at Boykin's words. Former Montana governor Marc Racicot, the chairman of the Bush-Cheney campaign, who was sent to the conference to represent the administration, responded to a question on Boykin by saying the president "believes that Islam is a religion of hope and peace. I don't believe there's any ambiguity regarding that position at all."

But Barakat Salah, 62, a real estate agent from Columbus, Ohio, who was in attendance, said Boykin's words "made most people in our community think the Bush administration is racist."

more...

[Noordam]

1. Smart move and more Muslim votes for the Dems

The Bushies have a problem, piss off the religious right and can him....

IMHO they will not can him, and do not care if the Dems get a couple more votes but drip drip drip drip drip drip ......................

[lovedems]

2. This general is nuts

Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut condemned the words of Lieutenant General William Boykin, the officer leading the hunt for Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

No wonder Saddam and Bin Laden can't be found! The general is looking for a little red man with horns, not an actual human being. (In reference to the war being against satan)

"made most people in our community think the Bush administration is racist."

I can't believe after 3 years they are just figuring that one out.

[w13rd0]

3. This generals resume...

...is a long list of failures.

Iran hostages, Somalia, finding Ossama, finding Saddam, failure after failure. But the Bush administration seems to love rewarding failure...

[IndianaGreen]

8. This general said that Gawd put Bush in the White House

in the same controversial speech, he said that despite the fact that Bush lost the popular vote, Gawd made Bush President for a Divine reason.

I don't think this general should be fired at all! I think his words should be broadcast to the entire world ad infinitum. Let the world know what we already have known in America, that the Bush regime is pursuing an imperialist agenda that is fueled by a religious fundamentalism as odious as that found in many other religions that see themselves as chosen to pursue some divine will.

Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.

Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right
by Karl Marx
Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher
February, 1844

http://www3.baylor.edu/~Scott_Moore/texts/Marx_Contr_Crit.html

[Guaranteed]

4. Robin Williams did a great bit

in his Broadway show about Bush's "crusade" gaff immediately after 9/11....most people don't realize how very dangerous it is directing anger at Islam as opposed to Al Qaeda, but it's true. Imagine what Arabs think when they hear our leaders using words like "crusade" and talking about how our God is better than theirs. If you wanna start a holy war, that's what you do. This guy needs to be fired NOW- he's dangerous.

[JI7]

10. cold war

didn't our country do the whole -god is on our side- crap during the cold war ? and we got many of these muslim nations to be on our side by telling them it's what god wanted. especially during the soviet afghan war when we support osama bin laden against the commies.

[DrFunkenstein]

5. Remember This Little Flashback?

When President Bush spoke off the cuff with reporters in Washington two Sundays ago, his remarks seemed hardly different from more formal statements he had made after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Then came the comment that has resonated and percolated ever since, causing distress for potential American allies and pain and anger in the Islamic world:

"This is a new kind of, a new kind of evil," the president said. "And the American people are beginning to understand. This crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take awhile."

There it was. "Crusade."

Among Americans, the word was barely noticed until two days later, when White House spokesman Ari Fleischer apologized for its use. In many parts of the world, however, Bush's language had raised the specter of superpower holy war, a great gathering of Christian forces aimed at driving Islam into the sea.

http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/stories/093001/new_0930010029.shtml

<>

[Bushfire]

7. Was this a toast using apple juice?

Anybody know what the Philipino's like to toast at ceromonies with an idiot that has mad cowboy disease?

[JI7]

6. yes

nice to see kerry, and especially lieberman say this. lieberman gets a lot of crap because he is jewish and people like to claim he hates muslims but it's not true.

[AndyTiedye]

9. Lieberman gets crap because he is a Likudnik first and a Democrat Second

Not because he is Jewish. Lots of Democrats are Jewish.
Most do not support the policies of Ariel Sharon and the Likud.

When even proposing an imaginarly road map to peace is
"too much pressure" on Israel, what other conclusion can one reach?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

11. I sympathize with Lieberman

Appeaser or not, being Jewish (or any other religion besides Evangelic Christian) and hearing a crazed top general spout Christian holy war rhetoric and being afterwards supported by the Administration must have given him the bejeebies.

[BiggJawn]

12. Can't help but think of what I've heard about the General Staff...

...being chock-full of Promise Keepers and other loonies who think it's their "Holy Quest" to do whatever the CINC asks them to as "God's Warriors"...

Scary...