General's religious comments on war draw fire

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee called on Tuesday for the temporary reassignment of a Pentagon official who made church speeches casting the war on terrorism in religious terms.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin should step aside during a Pentagon investigation of Boykin's comments. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday announced an inspector general's inquiry, saying Boykin requested one.

Warner and the top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Carl Levin, wrote to Rumsfeld Friday asking for an investigation. Warner said on the Senate floor that he kept quiet about that request until Tuesday so as not to put too much pressure on Rumsfeld.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill later Tuesday, Rumsfeld said he hadn't seen the letter from Warner and Levin.

Several Islamic and religious freedom groups criticized Boykin last week when reports surfaced of his comments during several speeches at evangelical Christian churches. Boykin said the enemy in the war on terrorism was Satan, that God had put President Bush in the White House and called one Muslim Somali warlord an idol-worshipper.

No Islam insult

The Pentagon released a statement from Boykin apologizing to those who were offended and saying the three-star general did not mean to insult Islam. The three-star Army general is deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence.

Warner, a former Navy secretary, said Boykin should be temporarily reassigned so he can focus on helping the investigation.

"When you start trying to explain what you did say, you need time out to do a little study," Warner said.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., also endorsed Warner's suggestion for Boykin to be temporarily reassigned.

"Important questions need to be asked and answered about things he said and did," Durbin said.

Rumsfeld said at a Pentagon news conference that it hasn't been determined whether that probe will be conducted by the Army's inspector general or the Defense Department's internal watchdog.

The letter from Warner and Levin warns that Boykin's comments could endanger U.S. soldiers.

"Public statements by a senior military official of an inflammatory, offensive nature that would denigrate another religion and which could be construed as bigotry may easily be exploited by enemies of the United States and contribute to an erosion of support within the Arab world, and perhaps increased risk for members of the U.S. Armed Forces serving in Muslim nations," the senators said in the letter.