Israel Matzav

Truth no defense against Islamophobia charges in US Armed Forces: All training material to be reviewed to ensure no 'anti-Islamic' content

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey has ordered a review of all military training materials after his subordinates discovered that material in an officer's training course states that 'Islam has already declared war on the West' (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).

The extraordinary order by General Martin Dempsey, the highest-ranking military officer in the U.S. armed forces, was prompted by content in a course titled “Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism” that was presented as an elective at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. The course instructed captains, commanders, lieutenant colonels and colonels from across all four armed services that “Islam had already declared war on the West,” said Lt. Gen. George Flynn, Dempsey’s deputy for training and education.

“It was inflammatory,” Flynn told Danger Room on Tuesday. “We said, ‘Wait a second, that’s really not what we’re talking about.’ That is not how we view this problem or the challenges we have in the world today.”

The strong response by the Pentagon brass illustrates growing sensitivity around the issue since Danger Room’s investigation of anti-Islam material in the FBI’s counterterrorism training last September. That story sparked strong condemnation of the training material from the U.S. Attorney General on down, and prompted the White House to order a review of U.S. counterterrorism training last October.

Despite that White House order, the “Perspectives” course, taught since 2004, not only evaded review, but had defenders in the Joint Forces Staff College that taught it.

Danger Room first learned about the course last month, and determined that one of its guest lecturers was Stephen Coughlin, who has taught FBI and U.S. Army audiences that Islamic law is a danger to U.S. national security. We sought comment from a representative for the Joint Forces Staff College, who defended the propriety of the course.

Feedback from students has been “mostly positive, usually around the 90% range,” Steven Williams, a spokesman for the college, e-mailed Danger Room on Mar. 14. “Students generally appreciate thought-provoking discussion and the freedom to consider critical perspectives.”

I'll bet if you ask the radical Islamists they will tell you that their goal is to replace democracy with Sharia law and to force everyone to convert to Islam or pay the jizya. Then again, the Obama administration has decided that Sharia law is no danger to Western democracy either - even if it's imposed on all of us.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Islamophobia, Martin Dempsey, US Army

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:40 AM