اضيف الخبر في يوم الخميس ٠٦ - مايو - ٢٠١٠ ١٢:٠٠ صباحاً.

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The Army said it did not invite Graham to the May 6 event organized through
the Pentagon Chaplain's office. The invitation was instead extended by the
private, Colorado-based National Day of Prayer Task Force.

"Once the Army leadership became aware that Reverand Graham was speaking at
this event, we immediately recognized it as problematic," said Colonel Tom
Collins, an Army spokesman.

"The bottom line here is that his presence would be inappropriate. His past
statements are not consistent with the multi-faith emphasis and
inclusiveness of this event."

Graham acknowledged the decision, saying in a statement: "I will continue to
pray that God will give them guidance, wisdom and protection as they serve
this great country."

The National Day of Prayer Task Force called the Pentagon's decision part of
an "assault on religious freedom and people of faith" driven by groups
including the government and media.

"The Pentagon, representing the most powerful military in the world, melted
like butter and withdrew the invitation," it said, citing opposition by "a
small group of naysayers."

'ISLAM ATTACKED US'

President Barack Obama and the military have repeatedly sought to assure the
Muslim world that the U.S. fight against insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan
should not be viewed as a war against Islam.

Former President George W. Bush heightened those concerns shortly after the
September 11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 when he referred to
his war on terrorism as a "crusade," a remark critics warned raised images
of Christian knights attacking Muslim cities during the Middle Ages.

Franklin Graham gave the benediction at Bush's 2001 presidential
inauguration and famously declared after the September 11 attacks: "We're
not attacking Islam but Islam attacked us." He called Islam a "very evil and
wicked religion."

This year, the military discovered a U.S. arms manufacturer had embossed
biblical citations on rifle scopes sent to Afghanistan and Iraq. The
manufacturer halted the practice.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which also voiced outrage over
the rifle scopes, wrote a letter of protest earlier this week to Defense
Secretary Robert Gates over Graham's invitation.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations said the
invitation was damaging to the U.S. image.

"To have an individual who calls Islam evil and claims Muslims are enslaved
by their faith speak at the Pentagon sends entirely the wrong message," said
the group's national executive director, Nihad Awad.