I worked in the CIA under Bush. Obama is right to not say "radical Islam."

vox ^

[ChicagoConservative27]

The recent verbal attacks by the Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump and his supporters on President Barack Obama for avoiding the phrase "radical Islam" in his public pronouncements are simplistic, racially inflammatory — and flatly misinformed.

Settling upon accurate and strategically nuanced terms to describe the post-9/11 enemy is not the product of "political correctness" (contra Trump) or a failure to understand the enemy (contra a much-discussed Atlantic cover story). Nor are objections to using overly broad terms like "Islamic radicalism" limited to Democrats. The Bush administration understood the power of words, too. It concluded that distinctions that may seem small to Christian-American ears make a big difference to the mainstream Muslims we need on our side.

When I directed the Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program at the CIA in the early 2000s, I frequently interacted with senior Bush administration policymakers about how to engage Muslim communities and, when doing so, which words and phrases to use to best describe the radical ideology preached by al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. Always, the aim was to distinguish between radicals and extremists and the vast majority of mainstream Muslims, and to make sure the latter understood that we were not lumping them in with the former.

[Secret Agent Man]

I kinda like muslim infestations.

Identifies how they live and spread out.

[HarleyLady27]

And I say to you, whoever you are, B.S. It’s Radical Islamic Terrorism...and it’s Sharia Law...Not in this Country it won’t be, and if you think I’m kissing someone’s butt to NOT say it, leave America immediately...you don’t know what it’s like to be an American, born on American Soil by TWO American Parents and have family members who died for this Country in wars defending America and Our Freedoms!!!

[No Socialist]

Does anyone have a doubt that the traitors would be saying Christian Extremists if Christians were doing the same? Obama admin has no trouble saying Right Wing Extremists are more of a threat. Isn’t that offensive to conservative Americans?

Time for political realignment. Rino and Dems can form the Elitist Party and I’ll be a member of the Tax Payer Party.

[TADSLOS]

It concluded that distinctions that may seem small to Christian-American ears make a big difference to the mainstream Muslims we need on our side.

False narrative. Islam is islam. It is a death cult.

[combat_boots]

I’ve studies Islam sine 1964. This guy’s flat out wrong.

[wardaddy]

No shite

Muslims are every race

Mostly brownish but I think the largest Muslim country is oriental

Whatever Asian

[pfflier]

In fact, all muslims are taught that islam is the only true religion and the koran demands that non-believers must be converted. If they won't convert, they must be killed.

Muslim teachings allow men to do anything they want to women and children and goats.

Muslim teachings promise rewards for killing non-believers while committing suicide.

I agree, "radical islam" is not the correct term. It is all simply mainstream islam.

[9YearLurker]

Sharia isn’t actually “radical” Islam, and what we are talking about is simply “Islamic terrorism”.

To qualify it as “radical Islamic terrorism” is to imply that there is a moderate form of terrorism.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I didn’t realize the CIA hired people as stupid as Emile Nakhleh.

[combat_boots]

*studied

Very angry about these people controlling advisory relationships in DC. They are betrayers. And paid shills.

[mfish13]

How is Islam “Racial?”

[Robert357]

It is more than the State religion of Saudi Arabia that is the problem, there are Islamics in Iran that sponsor state terrorism against the US. So there does need to be a term for both major sects of the Islamic religion that sponsor terrorism.

[ZULU]

Bush started the MYTH of the “peaceful” religion. As a Christian I resent the way Islam has treated and continues to treat non-Muslims and Bush’ statements and sentiments on this subject were as absurd as this ridiculous screed.

[faithhopecharity]

I AGREEE.
saying radical islam implies that there is a peaceful kind of islam

that is false

read their koran and hadith writings and listen to their preachers

Mohammed became a very violent maurader and invader and mass-murderer of infedels (non-moslems)

any real Moslem follows Mo’s teachings...

saying “islam” is sufficicent to accurately communicate the problem we face

saying “radical islam” only distorts the discussion by implying that there is any peaceful kind of islam. there is NOT

peaceful moslems are MINO’s
and are tortured and executed by genuine followers of Mohammed

[A CA Guy]

Sharia is the part where most women are terrorized and abused, but of course the Koran itself is the problem.
They desperately need reforms to it’s radical nature.

[CincyRichieRich]

Full-blown case of explosive taqiyya.

[combat_boots]

The Wahabbi Saudis and their point of view have now merged with the violent but spiritual Salafists, creating an explosion of jihadis, including ISIS. Al-Qaradawi encourages this, and Glick has written about it.

This is a messianic point of view that brooks no opposition and kills with abandon, being devoted to their practice.

[blueplum]

trigger words for muslims? poor things

look. There are a whole lot of different kind of Christians. If someone is described as a fanatical Christian or Christian extremist, I do not get offended as a Christian. I know they’re not talking about me or Christians in general, they’re talking about some wacka doodle. If muslims can’t make the same basic distinction, they need a binkie.

[DesertRhino]

Pussy. I haven’t seen a single demonstration that speaking warmly about Islam as a religion of peace has done anything except give us more attacks.

[Celerity]

The whole problem is found in this sentence:
“ I frequently interacted with senior Bush administration policymakers about how to engage Muslim communities and, when doing so, which words and phrases to use to best describe the radical ideology preached by al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.”

“I frequently engaged with Bush” This is to somehow setup or force a degree of legitimacy with the right-wing reader. When I tell people “I worked under Clinton” and then follow up with a tale of how crooked these people are I’m saying “I worked under Clinton” to add a degree of credibility to what I’m saying to make it hit alittle harder.

“which words and phrases to use to best describe the radical ideology”. Has anyone considered “Enemy”? My office threw around the words “Commies” and “Traitors” with impunity. Not once did we sit down and discuss how to properly address them. We were told how to address William Cohen though.