Bush made the statement Friday in an interview with Al Arabiya
reporter Elie Nakouzi.
Al Arabiya is Al Jazeerah's top competitor in the Mideast.
As the president and Nakouzi walked from the Oval Office to the
Map Room in the White House residence, Nazouki asked, "But I want to
tell you – and I hope this doesn't bother you at all – that in the
Islamic world they think that President Bush is an enemy of Islam –
that he wants to destroy their religion, what they believe in. Is
that in any way true, Mr. President?"
"No, it's not," said Bush. "I've heard that, and it just shows
[sic] to show a couple of things: One, that the radicals have done a
good job of propagandizing. In other words, they've spread the word
that this really isn't peaceful people versus radical people or
terrorists, this is really about the America not liking Islam.
"Well, first of all, I believe in an
Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be
Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God.
That's what I believe. I believe that Islam is a great religion that
preaches peace. And I believe people who murder the innocent
to achieve political objectives aren't religious people, whether
they be a Christian who does that – we had a person blow up our –
blow up a federal building in Oklahoma City who professed to be a
Christian, but that's not a Christian act to kill innocent people.
