Here's the factual record as to the public use of the term "crusade" by the administration of President George W. Bush in the context of the "war on terrorism".
Here's the quote from President Bush on September 16, 2001 (from the official White House transcript) that refers to a "crusade":
Q Mr. President, the Attorney General is going to ask for enhanced law enforcement authority to surveil and - things to disrupt terrorism that might be planned here in the United States. What will that mean for the rights of Americans? What will that mean -
THE PRESIDENT: Terry, I ask you to talk to the Attorney General about that subject. He'll be prepared to talk about it publicly at some point in time. But what he is doing is, he's reflecting what I said earlier in my statement, that we're facing a new kind of enemy, somebody so barbaric that they would fly airplanes into buildings full of innocent people. And, therefore, we have to be on alert in America. We're a nation of law, a nation of civil rights. We're also a nation under attack. And the Attorney General will address that in a way that I think the American people will understand.
We need to go back to work tomorrow and we will. But we need to be alert to the fact that these evil-doers still exist. We haven't seen this kind of barbarism in a long period of time. No one could have conceivably imagined suicide bombers burrowing into our society and then emerging all in the same day to fly their aircraft - fly U.S. aircraft into buildings full of innocent people - and show no remorse. This is a new kind of -- a new kind of evil. And we understand. And the American people are beginning to understand. This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while. And the American people must be patient. I'm going to be patient.
But I can assure the American people I am determined, I'm not going to be distracted, I will keep my focus to make sure that not only are these brought to justice, but anybody who's been associated will be brought to justice. Those who harbor terrorists will be brought to justice. It is time for us to win the first war of the 21st century decisively, so that our children and our grandchildren can live peacefully into the 21st century.
And then this discussion at a press briefing by White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer (from the official White House transcript) over the use of the term "crusade" on September 18, 2001:
Q The other question was, the President used the word crusade last Sunday, which has caused some consternation in a lot of Muslim countries. Can you explain his usage of that word, given the connotation to Muslims?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think what the President was saying was -- had no intended consequences for anybody, Muslim or otherwise, other than to say that this is a broad cause that he is calling on America and the nations around the world to join. That was the point -- purpose of what he said.
Q Does he regret having used that word, Ari, and will he not use it again in the context of talking about this effort?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think to the degree that that word has any connotations that would upset any of our partners, or anybody else in the world, the President would regret if anything like that was conveyed. But the purpose of his conveying it is in the traditional English sense of the word. It's a broad cause.
A reporter made reference to "the American crusade" as referenced by Mr. bin Laden (from the Official White House transcript) on September 24, 2001:
Q A statement broadcast today, apparently a fax from Osama bin Laden, in which he called on Muslims in Pakistan to, "fight the American crusade." A, does this administration believe the statement is credible, and do you have any reaction to it?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, there have been so many different statements coming out of the Taliban that I think the only statement that the President is looking for is a statement of action. And the words that were issued today by the Taliban are a chilly reminder about how serious and real this is.
The words of attack that they have launched against freedom-loving people, Christians and Jews around the world, is consistent with the statements that Osama bin Laden has made in the past, urging people to rise up and kill Christians and Jews. And it is a chilling reminder of how serious and real this is.
A reporter made reference to "crusade" (from the Official White House transcript) on November 30, 2001:
Q A question about the responsible cooperator program, that the administration announced yesterday. One of the main Arab-American organizations in the country says that the word "cooperator" has a very negative connotation in the Arabic language, that it suggests something more akin to collaborator, someone who sells out, in fact, and that this is likely to inhibit cooperation among Arab Americans in the program. Is there any thought being given to reconsider the name of this program?
MR. FLEISCHER: This program was named by the Department of Justice. The President is very pleased with the announcement. The President thinks that will be constructive and useful in preventing future acts of terrorism. And the President, obviously you saw him, he was there with the Attorney General yesterday. So if you have any questions about the nomenclature, I'd refer you to Justice.
Q Well, but this has happened twice before -- the use of the word "crusade," which created some ripples in the Arabic world, and also "Infinite Justice." There have been two gaffs of this kind. This appears to be the third one. Is there any concern about this?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, I would refer you to Justice, to see if it fits that category.
President Bush referred to his "crusade" (from the Official White House transcript) on February 16, 2002:
I also found another George W., the Mayor. (Applause.) I want to thank all the state and local officials who are here. I want to thank the members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are here. (Applause.) I want to tell you something, we've got no better friends than Canada. (Applause.) They stand with us in this incredibly important crusade to defend freedom, this campaign to do what is right for our children and our grandchildren.
There have been no further public references by President Bush or the White House to the "War on Terrorism" being a "crusade", other than references to the original Crusades as in this speech by the President (from the official White House transcript) on October 25, 2005:
Over the years these extremists have used a litany of excuses for violence -- the Israeli presence on the West Bank, or the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, or the defeat of the Taliban, or the Crusades of a thousand years ago. In fact, we're not facing a set of grievances that can be soothed and addressed. We're facing a radical ideology with inalterable objectives: to enslave whole nations and intimidate the world.
That same theme has been repeat in several speeches by the President. Here's another from October 6, 2005:
Over the years these extremists have used a litany of excuses for violence -- the Israeli presence on the West Bank, or the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, or the defeat of the Taliban, or the Crusades of a thousand years ago. In fact, we're not facing a set of grievances that can be soothed and addressed. We're facing a radical ideology with inalterable objectives: to enslave whole nations and intimidate the world. No act of ours invited the rage of the killers -- and no concession, bribe, or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder.
And another from November 11, 2005:
Over the years these extremists have used a litany of excuses for violence: the Israeli presence on the West Bank, the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, the defeat of the Taliban, or the Crusades of a thousand years ago. In fact, we're not facing a set of grievances that can be soothed and addressed. We're facing a radical ideology with inalterable objectives: to enslave whole nations and intimidate the world. No act of ours invited the rage of killers -- and no concession, bribe, or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder. On the contrary, they target nations whose behavior they believe they can change through violence. Against such an enemy, there is only one effective response: We will never back down, we will never give in, we will never accept anything less than complete victory. (Applause.)
The term came up in another press briefing (from the official White House transcript) in a reporter's question on May 5, 2004:
Q Scott, you say that the actions that were taken were contrary to American values, and I think I and everybody else can agree with you on that. Nevertheless, isn't there a sense of responsibility, to the extent that over the past couple of years the United States has deviated from its traditional values -- has launched a preemptive strike against a nation without what was generally considered due cause; they put out --
MR. McCLELLAN: There was ample cause. And I remind you what David Kay uncovered and what Charles Duelfer had uncovered.
Q Let me finish -- they put out of operation general legal procedures when it concerns those suspect terrorists; and they have created a climate which has been especially aggravated by friends of the President within the Christian fundamentalist groups who are talking about the danger to Christian values of the Muslim hoards that are facing us. And this is being done in the churches, these are the people who strongly support the President. Have we not created a climate in which some people see this as a "great crusade," a word which the President, himself, used inadvertently at one point, and that wouldn't you expect this type of thing --
Q Is there a question coming? (Laughter.)
Q -- from occurring when you have created that --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know where to begin with , because I disagree with the premise of everything that you were saying there, essentially. We are at war on terrorism. There are people in this world who are killers. They seek to harm America. And this is a broad war on terrorism. We face many new dangerous threats in the 21st century, and this President's most solemn obligation is to protect the American people. And this President will act aggressively to make sure that the American people can live in freedom and security, and to make the world a better place.
Advancing freedom and democracy is key to winning the war on terrorism. And there are lots of ways we do that. We support efforts that are underway to move forward toward freedom and democracy. And we are also working in Afghanistan and Iraq to advance freedom and democracy. We liberated some 50 million people in those two countries alone. In Iraq, they were under a brutal, oppressive regime. In Afghanistan, they were under a brutal, oppressive regime. And the people in those countries are seeing a better future.
And I would remind you that what we are accomplishing in those countries is providing people with hope and opportunity, and it's going to the root causes of terrorism, which thrives on despair and poverty. And we're working on those fronts to bring about more stability in that region and bring about hope for people in those regions, so that we can win the war on terrorism.
Laura Bush made a reference to "crusade" on July 9, 2002 (from the official White House transcript), but it was a reference to something President Reagan had said:
Twenty years ago, President Ronald Reagan said: "Let us now begin a major effort to secure the best-a crusade for freedom that will engage the faith and fortitude of the next generation. For the sake of peace and justice, let us move toward a world in which all people are at last free to determine their own destiny."
Secretary of State Colin Powell made a reference to crusade (from the official White House transcript) on October 26, 2002:
Q What can you tell us about Russia's use of gas in breaking up that hostage siege --
SECRETARY POWELL: I don't know the details of the military operation and police operation, so I don't think I'd better comment on it because I just don't know. I am glad that the crisis has been resolved but, at the same time, I regret the loss of innocent life.
And once again, it demonstrates that terrorism can strike anywhere and we have to be on guard. And that's why the leaders here at APEC are going to spend some of their time once again talking about terrorism. There's no country that is immune, there is no country that is not a potential victim of terrorism. And that's why it has to be an international crusade of the kind that President Bush launched after 9/11 and is now leading.
Another reporter tried to draw Press Secretary Fleischer into the fray (from the official White House transcript) in a press briefing on August 1, 2002:
Q Ari, just a point of clarification. When the President made the remarks this morning regarding terrorists who commit these acts in the name of -- I believe he used "false religions" was his term. What exactly was he saying? And I ask this simply because, as you know, when he used the word "crusade" way back when, there was some criticism then. So I was just wondering if you could clarify exactly what he meant.
MR. FLEISCHER: The President believes very deeply that Islam is a religion of peace. And there are people who use the pretext of religion as an excuse to kill Jews, to kill Israelis, and now to kill Americans. And the President will oppose that with every fiber in his body. And the President knows the peaceful intent of the Islamic religion.
These people who are terrorists are radicals, they're extremists, and they represent a threat to not only the people of Israel, but the people in the region, and especially to the Palestinian cause themselves -- itself.
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Updated: September 03, 2006 02:09:01 PM -0400
Copyright © 2005 John W. Krupansky d/b/a Base Technology