# Pentagon Defends Gen. Who Chided Muslims **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 16, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872 "2003-10-16T22:25:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![swami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@swami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swami)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/1 "2003-10-16T22:25:01Z")
[Pentagon Defends Gen. Who Chided Muslims](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031016/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/general_religious_views_4) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON - Pentagon (news - web sites) leaders on Thursday spoke up in support of a top general who has told church audiences that the war on terrorism is a battle with Satan and that Muslims worship idols. > > Army Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin has made several speeches — some in uniform — at evangelical Christian churches in which he cast the war on terrorism in religious terms. Boykin said of a 1993 battle with a Muslim militia leader in Somalia: “I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol.” The ole “my God was bigger than his” is a variant of the “My Dick is bigger than his Dick”, except that there is also death invovled. What does the SDMB think of this guy? What do you think of his speech? Is this “War against Islam”, all over again? A Top US general does seem to think so. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/2 "2003-10-16T22:40:36Z")
I think he’s a dick. I don’t think that there’s any possible way for this individual to function effectively in an intelligence position with his bigoted views. ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/3 "2003-10-16T23:03:41Z")
Well what did you expect? Do you really think a bunch of neo-cons, who are pro-Israel to being with, would really step up and state that this general is a loon? Don’t forget that we also have a president that believes in the Second Coming, and rumors say, is working towards setting the situation in the Middle East to promote it. We are now actively moving against the some Shiites in Iraq now: [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031016/wl\_mideast\_afp/iraq\_us\_031016193741](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031016/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_031016193741) Not only is are god bigger than theirs but so are our guns. [/sarcasm] ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/4 "2003-10-16T23:28:05Z")
Of course we are pro-Israel. Since [Jews run the world](http://msnbc.com/news/981170.asp?0cv=CB10), it isn’t like we get much of a choice in the matter. ---
**Author:** ![DeadJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@DeadJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadJesus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/5 "2003-10-16T23:30:34Z")
I think Rumsfeld takes the chutzpah award for the year when in defense of this religious nutjob he invokes the First Amendent: > [@](#): > > “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.” This from a man who declared that opposing or even questioning the president or the war in Iraq was “unpatriotic” and accusing those who indulged in such behavoir of aiding the enemy??? :eek: But it’s “free speech” to make inflammatory and derogatory statements so long as they are against Muslims. Got it, Rummy, you hateful bastard. I’m sure that the muslim-haters in my community will be happy to know that they have your blessings. Idiot!:mad: ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/6 "2003-10-17T00:34:39Z")
Shall we request a change of venue, **DeadJesus**? I hear the PIT is lovely this time of year. Not that I take any exceptional issue with your sentiments, you understand. ---
**Author:** ![laigle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@laigle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/laigle)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/7 "2003-10-17T00:55:11Z")
Sigh. My god is bigger than his. Not better. Not more benevolent. Not even more powerful. My god is **BIGGER** than his. Forget the question of this idiot further convincing the world we’re on an anti-Islamic crusade. Anybody so primitive that their only notion of superiority is being bigger is not qualified to work the fry cooker at a third tier fast food joint, let alone to be a general. ---
**Author:** ![MmmDonut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@MmmDonut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MmmDonut)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/8 "2003-10-17T01:05:48Z")
I thought that the old testament Christian God and the Allah were one and the same. Am I wrong? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/9 "2003-10-17T01:28:52Z")
Worshipping idols is expressly and explicitly prohibited in Islam. It is, (in some cases), interpretted very, very strictly. IIRC, Wahhabism associates putting flowers on a grave with _shirk_, (loosely idolatry). Shirk is punishable by death. The part that goes, “There is no god but God,” is taken very seriously. The incredible, ornate caligraphy and geomatric designs, IIRC, is a result of a ban at times in places on making certain sorts of pictures. Artists instead expressed themselves though the calligraphy and patterns. Anyone who claims that Muslims worship idols is _obviously_ even more ignorant about Islam than _I_ am. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/10 "2003-10-17T01:31:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*Of course we are pro-Israel. Since [Jews run the world](http://msnbc.com/news/981170.asp?0cv=CB10), it isn’t like we get much of a choice in the matter. \*\* I’ve definitely seen more thoughtful posts come from you. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/11 "2003-10-17T01:35:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrTuffPaws \* > \*\*We are now actively moving against the some Shiites in Iraq now: > > [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031016/wl\_mideast\_afp/iraq\_us\_031016193741](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031016/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_031016193741) > \*\* Just the other day someone from the CPA was saying that they didn’t take Sadrs call for a creating an independent government seperate from the CPA and the IGC seriously. Whoever it was went on about how little support Sadr had. Hmmmmmmmm…? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/12 "2003-10-17T02:04:34Z")
**Brutus** , I read your link. I take it that your comment was sarcasm. This for the sarcasm impaired. We do need a symbol to denote sarcasm. It doesn’t always come across in print. As far as LG Boykin is concerned, I’ll bet he’s a jumper. Jumping impairs brain function and is exacerbated by all those practice landing falls off the bar in the O-club. Just be thankful you don’t work for the guy. ---
**Author:** ![hawkeyejo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@hawkeyejo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawkeyejo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/13 "2003-10-17T03:29:09Z")
No, no, no… **My** god is bigger than everyone’s…hell, we got 33 million of them gods too :). You know, maybe the Christians and Muslims should duke it out on Mars and leave the rest of us in peace. (the way we Indians multiply, we’ll repopulate the earth in no time at all). You know, if they let these Generals roam free, this country is going to be a scary place to live in pretty soon. (well, at least for us brown-skinned people) ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/14 "2003-10-17T08:55:47Z")
I can’t help but think that this is a public relations coup for al Qaeda. This kind of talk from an American general will make it into aQ recruitment pitches. This is aids the enemy much more than American citizens criticizing American foreign policy. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/15 "2003-10-17T10:15:31Z")
It’s scarey. This idiot has a resources of part the US military to play out his lunacy. And his superiors seem to be ok with it. Very, very scarey. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/16 "2003-10-17T10:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kaylasdad99 \* > Shall we request a change of venue, **DeadJesus**? I hear the PIT is lovely this time of year. > > Not that I take any exceptional issue with your sentiments, you understand. To me his post seems quite in place here in GD. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/17 "2003-10-17T14:06:55Z")
Y’know, you’d expect that people who make it to LTG/VADM have done so in part by being careful about when, where and to whom they express their opinion. In any case, in the case of “his god was an idol” was (a) really ignorant and (b) absolutely irrelevant to the success of the mission, tactically or strategically (since how does he know how his _troops_ felt about the Somali’s religion, or even if they cared). I want an Army that’s highly motivated to kick arse because they trust their training, their equipment, their tactical doctrine and their commanders; feel they have the support of the political leadership and people; and believe they are defending liberty and the USA’s national interest. Not because they believe that Jesus is on their side – that’s for when you need to pray for the cloud cover to clear over the winter offensive…😉 I’m afraid Boykin just kissed that fourth star goodbye. But he’ll have a splendid career as the military darling of every Right-Wing and Christian-Fundie TV news commentary show. I suppose that’s in part what’s giving Rummy pause – last thing he wants is FOX News and Robertson’s TV channel loudly proclaiming what a martyr we have in Boykin as the lead of every newsbreak for the next week… ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/18 "2003-10-17T14:23:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SimonX \* > \*\*I can’t help but think that this is a public relations coup for al Qaeda. > This kind of talk from an American general will make it into aQ recruitment pitches. This is aids the enemy much more than American citizens criticizing American foreign policy. \*\* Face it - the entire WAR so far has been a PR coup for al Qaeda. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/19 "2003-10-17T15:13:41Z")
The fundies think they’re fighting Satan in the war on terrorism, and the terrorist think they’re fighting Satan by attacking us. Am I the only who thinks that the fundies and the jihadists are more alike than different? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872/20 "2003-10-17T15:27:18Z")
A jihadist is just a fundie with a gun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-defends-gen-who-chided-muslims/207872.md?page=2)