Islam critic backs out of West Point event January 31, 2012 West Point, N.Y. - A retired U.S. lieutenant general who made comments denigrating Islam withdrew Monday from speaking at a West Point prayer breakfast after a veterans' advocacy group asked the Army chief of staff to rescind the invitation. VoteVets.org told Gen. Ray Odierno in a letter that allowing retired Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin to speak at the U.S. Military Academy next week would be contrary to Army values and disrespectful to Muslim cadets. Late Monday afternoon, West Point issued a brief statement saying Boykin had decided to withdraw from speaking at the Feb. 8 event and that another speaker would be lined up in his place. Boykin, a former senior military intelligence officer, had been criticized for speeches he made at evangelical Christian churches beginning in January 2002. He said that America's enemy was Satan, that God had put President George W. Bush in the White House and that one Muslim Somali warlord was an idol worshiper. Boykin later issued a written statement apologizing and said he didn't mean to insult Islam. But VoteVets.org said Monday that Boykin has continued to make denigrating comments about Islam since his 2007 retirement. Army public affairs officials didn't immediately comment. The Council on American-Islamic Relations also asked West Point officials to retract Boykin's invitation. Boykin didn't return a call seeking comment or respond to an email sent to his account at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, where he is a visiting professor. A Pentagon investigation concluded that Boykin violated regulations by failing to make clear he was not speaking in an official capacity when he made nearly two dozen church speeches beginning in January 2002. It also found that Boykin, who made most speeches wearing his uniform, didn't get prior clearance for the remarks.