I don't think that saying Linux is badly done and technically a disaster,
Should I lie to give Linux credit?
Surely not. But then, Linux's success has proved you wrong.
I give credit to Linux for whatever they do. From my point of view they took away the people from the Hurd and caused that GNU isn't as known in the community as it should be.
Linux's use makes GNU to be known as well. Also, you claim that it took people from the Hurd, when they weren't on Hurd to begin with...
Linux brought people and developers to Free Software, people that didn't do that just for Hurd's sake.
Regards, Luciano Rocha