“And one of the points I want to make is, is that if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans, we’d be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world,” Mr. Obama said. “And so there’s got to be a better dialogue and a better understanding between the two peoples.”
Don't really have a problem with this statement.
As for the name - again, and again.....Hussein is one of the most common names in the world. I don't remember any controversy over the names Gen.Omar Bradley, or Benjamin Franklin (Bin Yahmen),Gen. John Abizaid, among dozens of others who have Arabic or Semitic names in sports, politics, arts and business. I think the penchant of the Presidents detractors to try and find ANY reason to paint him as a Muslim, is another example of the monkeys in the "Ape House" at the Zoo. They keep throwing their crap at the glass wall, limiting their audience and NEVER hitting their target.
Former President Bush and Muslims:
LinkWASHINGTON, D.C., Oct 23, 2000 - The American Muslim Political Coordinating Council Political Action Committee (AMPCC-PAC) today announced its endorsement of George W. Bush for president, citing his outreach to the Muslim community and his stand on the issue of secret evidence.
President Bush's speech in Abu Dhabi, full text:
LinkPresident George W.Bush said:
"Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans," Bush told reporters as he began a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
"By far, the vast majority of American citizens respect the Islamic people and the Muslim faith. After all, there are millions of peaceful-loving Muslim Americans," Bush said.
"Ours is a country based upon tolerance ... And we're not going to let the war on terror or terrorists cause us to change our values."
Bush did not identify conservative Christian leaders as his target, but White House officials said he was prompted by the anti-Islamic remarks of some of them, particularly religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, who reportedly said this week Muslims were "worse than the Nazis."
I see no problem in reaching out to the greater MODERATE Islamic world to beat back the influence of the Fundamentalist Islamic minority. There are 1.5 BILLION Muslims on this planet.
By the way, President Obama has proclaimed to the world that he is a Christian. That makes him an infidel to the fundamentalist and "outside" the faith to everyone else in the Muslim world. One cannot be both Muslim AND Christian. There is no evidence that Obama has EVER practiced Islam. He had a non-practicing Muslim father, and was raised by a liberated, educated, western Christian family in the U.S.