U.S General Boykin's Remarks Called Offensive to Islam

October 22, 2003

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.fac.org/rel_liberty/publiclife/news.aspx?id=12099

On October 22, 2003 The Associated Press reported that " the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee called yesterday for the temporary reassignment of a Pentagon official who made church speeches casting the war on terrorism in religious terms. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin should step aside during a Pentagon investigation of Boykin’s comments. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld yesterday announced an inspector general’s inquiry, saying Boykin requested one. Warner and the top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Carl Levin, wrote to Rumsfeld on Oct. 17 asking for an investigation. Warner said on the Senate floor that he kept quiet about that request until yesterday so as not to put too much pressure on Rumsfeld... Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.,also endorsed Warner’s suggestion for Boykin to be temporarily reassigned. 'Important questions need to be asked and answered about things he said and did,' Durbin said."