Iraqi's want US to stay awhile

[ShadowHM]

since the bigger the ego and the star, the less likely it is, people being human, that the position is not used as a bully pulpit.

Your comment above reminded me of this news story, from CBC.


General's 'Satan' remarks freedom of speech: Rumsfeld

Last Updated Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:08:19

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is downplaying a three-star general's controversial comments about Satan and Muslim extremists.

Lt.-Gen. William Boykin has made several speeches at evangelical Christian churches. In his talks, he portrayed the campaign against terrorism as a religious battle.

News media in the United States reported his comments this week, showing him dressed in an army uniform complaining about Muslims warlords worshipping idols.

"We're a Christian nation," he said. "Our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian.… And the enemy is a guy named Satan."

Some Islamic leaders in the United States called on the White House Thursday to have Boykin reassigned. He is the Pentagon's deputy undersecretary of defence for intelligence.

Rumsfeld repeated the Bush administration's position that the fight against terrorism is not a war against Islam but against people "who have tried to hijack a religion."

The defence secretary told reporters that he hadn't seen Boykin's comments. But he called him an officer with "an outstanding record" who has the right to speak his mind.

"We're a free people. And that's the wonderful thing about our country," Rumsfeld said.

"I think that for anyone to run around and think that that can be managed and controlled is probably wrong. Saddam Hussein could do it pretty well, because he'd go around killing people if they said things he didn't like."

A preliminary review of Boykin's remarks suggest no military rules were broken, according to Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

"There is a very wide gray area on what the rules permit," Myers said.



Written by CBC News Online staff


On the subject of talking heads, and the delta between what oughta be and what is.......

Where does this fall? The quote of his above is mild compared to other things he has apparently said. How do you take this man's comments? Free speech or hate-mongering? I could buy the freedom of speech line, if he were not wearing his uniform while saying it - if he were making it crystal clear that he was speaking as a private citizen. But I am troubled by the notion of a man who holds a responsible position in administering U.S. Foreign Policy making such comments while wearing the uniform that symbolizes that position.