No doubt "crusade" was a bad choice of words because it is offensive
to all Moslems, not just those we consider murderers and terrorists.
But I assumed Bush had wanted to recall our all-out war against Nazi
evil and aggression, which Eisenhower called Crusade in Europe. I
guess because I read Eisenhower's book when I was in high school in
the 50s, that's the first reference I thought of when I heard the
president label our new war a crusade.

Bush should have checked with Middle Eastern experts before using the
word.  Nonetheless, it's an understandable error.

--
Max Morenberg, Professor
Department of English
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
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