WASHINGTON (AP) - King Abdullah II of Jordan told President Bush on Friday that most Arabs and Muslims were standing with the United States in the ``fight against evil,'' lending his nation's support to the U.S. counterterrorism campaign.``What these people stand for is completely against all the principles that Arab Muslims believe in,'' the king said at the White House. ``And so, on these principles alone, I think it'll be very, very easy for people to stand together.''
Bush welcomed the Arab monarch's public backing and said he had assured the king ``that our war is against evil, not against Islam.''
``There are thousands of Muslims who proudly call themselves Americans, and they know what I know,'' Bush said. Earlier in the day, the president signed a congressionally approved agreement that removes trade barriers to imports from Jordan.
The Jordanian king offered this reassurance to the president: ``This is a fight against evil. And the majority of Arabs and Muslims will band together with our colleagues all over the world to be able to put an end to this horrible scourge of international terrorism, and you'll see a united front.''
PHOTO CAPTION:
King Abdullah II of Jordan looks around the Oval Office as he meets with President Bush at the Whtie House, Friday, Sept 28, 2001. Bush planned to ask the King's cooperation in combating terrorism and in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, including efforts to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to end violence and resume dialogue. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)