Bush backs off ‘Islamic fascists’
Sept. 1, 2006: President Bush toned down his war rhetoric in a speech to the American Legion after Muslim pressure groups complained his earlier description of the enemy as “Islamic fascists” unfairly equated Islam with terrorism.
While the White House declined to comment officially about the dropping of the term ‘Islamic fascists,’ a White House insider explained the president is sensitive to concerns raised by Muslim leaders.
“The president never meant to imply we’re at war with Islam, but some took it that way,” the official said. “It’s not a climb-down as much as a recognition of the concerns of the Muslim community.”
The pressure groups, led by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, lobbied the president to stop using the term. Washington-based CAIR fired off a letter to Bush arguing that continued use of the “hot-button” term would only harm the image of America “in the Islamic world.”
“We urge him and we urge other public officials to restrain themselves,” said CAIR executive director Nihad Awad.
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