SEPARATION OF CHURCH, STATE MUST APPLY TO FOREIGN POLICY, TOO

,,,,,This week's star of the non-separation of church and state in foreign policy is the good Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin, an apparently talented intelligence officer and former member of the Special Forces who is also an evangelical Christian. He confused the military uniform he wears, pledging him to protect a country that believes in the separation of church and state, with his own beliefs when he debased the Islamic religion before a series of church meetings.......

....Most of the overt and immediate blame goes to this administration. President Bush said in Aquaba recently that he had been called by God to make peace. American dollars back religious Jewish projects in Israel, such as the settlements, making it appear to the world that America agrees with every Israeli move; and Christian evangelicals serve as President Bush's "cushion" for wars that are perceived across the world as purely anti-Islam.

It's not hard to know what should be done: This injection of religion into foreign policy should be stopped. It goes wholly against our history. Islam after 9/11 is a problem -- of course -- but the small number of fanatics could be easily split off from the traditional Muslims by fairer American policies, in the Middle East particularly. Gen. Boykin should be removed, if only for his carelessness. And, oh please, guys, let up on the "God sent me!" until you can offer a little proof.

Finally, virtually none of the real problem areas -- take Israel/Palestine -- are about religion at all. They are about politics, they are about land, they are about justice and respect. And even as the U.S. is getting caught up in religious name-calling, the cool European Union is employing the old principles to become the biggest trade and investment force in China, a resurgence that many believe is defining the new world while we are loquaciously busy elsewhere.......

http://www.uexpress.com/georgieannegeyer/?uc_full_date=20031023

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is a bigot. As though someone wanted him to outrage Muslims even more as the situation in Iraq is already hostile to US and other troops. Oh my...

anyone who thinks muslims worship idols is unfit for the job in which he has been assigned. If your a vegetarian you probably should get jobs in butcher shops.

I believe that what you think is your own business, but when you start publicly proclaiming views like that, it's time to go.

So is anyone going to defend this absolute worst of the worst?

Or has I/P finally found its seventh level?

General boykin's ridiculous statement was not made on behalf of our foreign policy, it's just his own personal opinion and blathering. As a military officer he is on duty 24/7 and he was in uniform to boot. As such he had/has no free speech rights and no right to make a statement like that. He should be summarily fired.

Nothing can be done about the other two. Politicians like bush are always going to pander to religious nuts. Politicians can say whatever they want and it's left up to us to vote them out. Regarding Mahathir, you can only attempt to influence the religiosity of another country up to a point. We would ignore it if they tried to influence us.