In what was in all other respects an outstanding address, President Bush made the grave error of (again) trying to legitimize Islam by equating the Qur'an with the words of God.
In referring to the giving of the Law to Moses at Mount Sinai and the words of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, the president includes "...the words of the Qur'an."
Of which words was he thinking? "Slay the unbeliever wherever you find him"? Perhaps he had in mind Allah's command to fight the unbelievers until "all religion is for Allah." Was he referring to the command to fight Jews and Christians "until they feel themselves subdued and pay the jizya"?
Obviously not.
But for what reason would someone so knowledgeable and well-versed in history (the president referenced at least Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Jefferson in his address) make such an obviously misleading statement?
Is President Bush trying to give our Muslim "allies" a means to save face? Is he trying to make American Muslims feel accepted? (Indeed, this latter explanation was my rationalization for why after 9/11 the president referred to Islam as a "religion of peace" and to Allah and Christ as the same God).
To equate the words of a murderous pedophile with the words of God is, three years after 9/11 (by which time someone in the Administration should have read at least some of the Qur'an), inexcusable.
What should have been a speech for the ages will be marred forever by one phrase.
