News Brief

Language of crusade revived by Bush camp

-19/4/04

As Christians in Iraq face threats from Muslims who perceive the invasion of Iraq as a Christian attack on Islam, "crusade," the word that Arabs equate with Christian brutality has resurfaced in a Bush campaign fund-raising letter, officials acknowledged on Sunday.

After September 11th 2001 President Bush set off alarm bells in the Muslim world by referring to his war against terrorism as a "crusade", recalling a historical trauma for the Muslim world, which was besieged by Christian crusaders from Europe during the Middle Ages.

In a letter dated March 3 letter, sent by Bush-Cheney Campaign Chairman Marc Racicot to new campaign charter members in Florida, the Republican president was praised for "leading a global crusade against terrorism" reports the Reuters news service.

But Bush originally caused an uproar by telling reporters: "This crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take awhile." Faced with worldwide consternation over the remark, the White House later said Bush regretted his use of the term.

On Sunday, Racicot said the fund-raising letter's purpose was to underscore Bush successes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"That letter was focused upon the single-minded efforts of the president, in coalition with other members of the international community, to undertake a mission to liberate people and protect the cause of freedom -- not just for a moment, not for a day, not for 10 years but for 100 years," the former Montana governor said to reporters at a press conference.

The timing of the use of the word however couldnít be worse for Christians in Iraq who face threats from groups who see the invasion of their country as an attack on Islam.