THE TELEGRAPH: Harry Reid, the top Democrat in the US Senate, has publicly broken with Barack Obama by opposing plans to build a mosque near the Ground Zero site of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Senator Harry Reid’s opposition to the controversial Cordoba Centre is his first major public disagreement with the US president and signals the possibility of an electorally dangerous split in the Democratic party ahead of the midterms.
Mr Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, who faces a tough re-election battle in Nevada in November, said through a spokesman that although he respects the constitutional right to freedom of religion it was “very obvious that the mosque should be built someplace else”.
It is also a rare rebuke to Mr Obama from a top Democrat. Mr Obama became embroiled in the issue when he told Muslims gathered for a White House dinner that they had the “same right to practise their religion as everyone else in this country”. >>> Toby Harnden, Washington | Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Bloomberg takes leave of his senses >>>
THE GUARDIAN: Ramadan clash with 9/11 anniversary raises fears of anti-Islam backlash: Celebrations to mark end of Muslim fasting could be deliberately misinterpreted to spark hostility, religious groups warn >>> Riazat Butt and Chris McGreal | Tuesday, August 17, 2010
