The Los Angeles Times, among others, presents objections voiced by some Muslims to the President's phrase.

President Bush was widely criticized by Muslim leaders on Thursday for saying that the foiled plot to blow up airliners over the Atlantic was a triumph in the "war against Islamic fascists."

Already resentful of the intense scrutiny they have endured since Sept. 11, Muslims said the politically charged phrase unfairly attaches one of the world's great traditions with Nazism and totalitarianism —— and fuels hostility against Islam and Muslims in America.

It also contradicts Bush's own earlier statements by that Islam is a "religion of peace."

"There's nothing Islamic about fascism," said Edina Lekovic, communications director for the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles. "Suggesting there is only over—politicizes things in a way that does not accurately describe the criminal adversaries we face at the moment."

"It would have been far more accurate," she added, "had he linked the situation to a segment of people rather than an entire faith, along the lines of, say, radical Muslim fascists."

There were Italian fascists, German dascists, Spanish fascists, and now there are probably more Islamic fascists than any other kind. The phrase is accurate.

The British were probably able to bust the terror ring yesterday because of informants from among the Muslim community in Britain. Such informants are fighting against the fascists among them. More power to them. But we do not need to shy away from calling those who betray their dreams of peaceful life what they are: Islamic fascists.

Thomas Lifson   8 11 06