I think that this is a good thing. One of our weaknesses in the current war is our inability to gather accurate and timely intelligence from the Arab/Muslim world. The more people who study Islam, Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu, and study Arab culture (and Iranian and Pakistani culture, etc), the better off that we will be in the long run.
You're assuming that an academic program at an ultra-PC place like Duke will contribute much useful knowledge for America, as opposed to leftist PC garbage and propaganda. I doubt anything of value to us (as opposed to terrorist-lovers) will come out of this program, and the students will surely be indoctrinated by the kinds of leftish academics who dominate at Duke.
If there were enough real, objective knowledge sought by this program then I'd be applauding it, but for the past 30+ years the campus left has tried hard to control every department and especially new programs in such sensitive areas as Middle Eastern and Islam....... they will make a dangerously bad PC-hash of this, we can be sure.....
You assume good intentions on the part of Duke. It will not prove to be what you expect but a center for subversion. One can study foreign languages without an Islamic center. Mark my word, this will be a disaster. I'm sorry to say that I am a Duke graduate. I despise and loathe the place.
It won't do any good if the whole thing is an enclave for the leftist/jihadi mix. And that's what it sounds like. Translators are no good if they sympathize with the dark side.