Bush Wants a Crusade?

Will the US-led war on Iraq turn into a crusade armed with Christianity?

Critics of US President Bush suspect whether Bush intends to wage a war for his God, reported The Economist on February 6th. The weekly pointed out that any war for God could spill into a conflict between different cultures, sparking an all-out war between Christians and Muslims.

Previously, President Bush defined the war on terror as a crusade right after the outbreak of the Sep. 11th terror, which he canceled later. Still, however, there is ample evidence that President Bush is considering ousting Iraqi President Sadam Hussein as punishment on the axis of evil.

In a breakfast meeting for prayer held on February 6th, President Bush defined the prayer by Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard B. Myers and CIA Director George Tenet as an appropriate action in this time of crisis. He added that the United States would overcome this hardship with God`s will, and Americans` character and will to free themselves from suppression. He continued to say that Americans need prayer.

President Bush attributes his overcoming from alcoholism to the power of God. Now, he prays every morning on his knees, and is considered the most faithful president since Jimmy Carter. Former Bush speechwriter David Frum said that when he first met with Bush, Bush told him that he felt sorry about missing Frum in the bible study held at the White House.

The United States is the most faithful country in the world, having more than 200 Christian TV channels and more than 1,500 radio stations. Church also has great political influence, and the Southern Baptists constitute the core "royal guards" of the Republican Party, reported the Economist.

The Economist, whoever, cautioned that it is stretching far too to define the Iraqi war as a war of religion just based on Bush`s personal tendency. The magazine pointed out as the basis for its contention that the United Methodist Church, the denomination Bush himself belongs to, opposes the war.

In the end, the weekly concluded that the United States is a secular country where state and religion is strictly separated, and that America is just adopting diplomatic tactics to eliminate the secular fear of terror caused by the terrorist network, rogue countries and weapons of mass destruction.

Eun-Taek Hong euntack@donga.com