John McCain forthrightly refers to Islamic terrorism. Some Muslim groups are offended and want him to stop.

A coalition of American Muslim groups is demanding that Sen. John McCain stop using the adjective "Islamic" to describe terrorists and extremist enemies of the United States.

Muneer Fareed, who heads the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), told The Washington Times that his group is beginning a campaign to persuade Mr. McCain to rephrase his descriptions of the enemy.

"We've tried to contact his office, contact his spokesperson to have them rethink word usage that is more acceptable to the Muslim community," Mr. Fareed said. "If it's not our intent to paint everyone with the same brush, then certainly we should think seriously about just characterizing them as criminals, because that is what they are."

McCain spokespeople have made it clear that he is not going to drop the word -- mainly because it is an accurate description of the enemy we fight.

Steve Schmidt, a former Bush White House aide who is now a McCain media strategist, told The Times that the use of the word is appropriate and that the candidate will continue to define the enemy that way.

"Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda represent a perverted strain of Islam at odds with the great many peaceful Muslims who practice their great faith peacefully," Mr. Schmidt said. "But the reality is, the hateful ideology which underpins bin Ladenism is properly described as radical Islamic extremism. Senator McCain refers to it that way because that is what it is."

McCain understands who our enemy is, and is willing to give credence to their own description of themselves and their motives. And given that their actions are in keeping with the long history of violence by Islam, dating back to the days of Muhammad himself, there is no reason to drop the word Islamic from the description of terrorism -- especially given the high level of support for such terrorism within Muslim communities around the world, including in civilized nations like the UK and US.

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