Fundamentalist Muslims Hate US – Is Bush to Blame?

My letter-to-the-editor was published in the Laguna Beach Independent.

Letters
April 11, 2008
Don’t blame Bush

Editor:
Quite a few friends of mine believe that President George W. Bush has screwed everything up including being the one responsible for making fundamentalist Muslims around the world hate the United States.

In is quite remarkable that when Bush and former Vice President Al Gore were running for President in 2000 that neither one of them emphasized the threat of terrorism. This despite the facts that direct interests of the United States were attacked during the 1990s including the World Trade Tower bombing in New York February 1993, US military barracks Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia June 1996, bombing of US Embassy in Kenya August 1998, and also bombing of US Embassy in Tanzania August 1998, and the attack of the USS Cole in Yeman October 2000.

During the same time Osama bin Laden issued a Fatwa February 23, 1998:
"We issue the following fatwa to all Muslims. The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies - civilians and military - is an individual duty for every Muslim kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they findit."

Seems like there was lots of hatred for the United States by some fundamentalist Muslims before George W, Bush was elected President.

Gene Felder
Laguna Beach