Bush nominating Daniel Pipes aggravates U.S. Muslims[He says Muslims in military must be watched]

Express-Times ^ | 4/8/03 | Bill Cahir

[Dr. Scarpetta]

President Bush on Wednesday aggravated some Arab-Americans by nominating Daniel Pipes of Philadelphia to serve on the board of directors at the United States Institute of Peace.

A columnist for the New York Post and the Jerusalem Post, Pipes runs the Middle East Institute, a think tank.

Pipes long has argued that U.S. authorities must consider militant Islamists a threat to American interests.

A former State Department official, Pipes courts controversy by saying that U.S. agencies should pay extra attention to ordinary Muslim workers.

"There is no escaping the unfortunate fact that Muslim government employees in law enforcement, the military and the diplomatic corps need to be watched for connections to terrorism, as do Muslim chaplains in prisons and the armed forces," Pipes wrote in January.

"Muslim visitors and immigrants must undergo additional background checks. Mosques require a scrutiny beyond that applied to churches and temples."

Pipes republished this controversial declaration on March 25, two days after Hasan Karim Akbar, a sergeant with the 101st Airborne Division, allegedly killed Army Capt. Christopher S. Seifert of Williams Township and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone of Boise, Idaho. Akbar was charged Friday with the two murders.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, an organization based in Washington, D.C., has urged Bush to rescind the Pipes nomination to the Peace Institute.

The council also is pressing Senate lawmakers to block confirmation of Pipes. The American-Islamic group complains that Pipes serves as a "pro-Israel commentator" and labels him a leading "Islamophobe."

"Pipes' nomination sends entirely the wrong message as America seeks to convince Muslims worldwide that the war on terrorism and the war against Iraq are not attacks on Islam," Nihad Awad, executive director of the council, said in a news statement.

In books and columns, Pipes consistently has defended Islam as a peaceful religion. But he has stridently criticized militant Islamists, such as Osama bin Laden, as a threat to innocent Americans and secular Arabs.

A key to the dispute: Pipes defines "Islamists" as people who would overthrow legitimate, secular governments and institute intolerant, totalitarian, Muslim theocracies in their stead.

Failure to recognize his limited definition leads to misunderstandings and raises hackles about politically incorrect speech.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

"There is no escaping the unfortunate fact that Muslim government employees in law enforcement, the military and the diplomatic corps need to be watched for connections to terrorism, as do Muslim chaplains in prisons and the armed forces," Pipes wrote in January.

"Muslim visitors and immigrants must undergo additional background checks. Mosques require a scrutiny beyond that applied to churches and temples."

[Gurn]

My only problem with Pipes is that he's too moderate.

[KineticKitty]

"Pipes' nomination sends entirely the wrong message as America seeks to convince Muslims worldwide that the war on terrorism and the war against Iraq are not attacks on Islam"

Well it is... it is a war on RADICAL Islam, a war that has been declared on us. Isn't it scary how a good amount "peaceful people" with-in the religion of Islam can't seem to notice the difference?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Call it race hatred, religious intolerance, whatever fills your bill, but if we don't employ racial, ethnic and religious profiling to detain and interrogate potential suspects, we will never turn the corner on this war. I for one do not want my grandchildren being forced to live under a perpetual orange alert.

[Minty]

"My only problem with Pipes is that he's too moderate."

Don't worry the militant Muslims will soon polarize him.

[alethia]

Good grief -- how stupid do the Muslim dissenters think we are? Did we not just experience a "fragging" (murder of two) of officers of the 101st Airborne Division by a Muslim who stated the US was going to "invade our countries and rape our women and kill (or enslave) our children."?

I agree with Mr. Pipes. Sad as it is, we do indeed need to be vigilant. We've experienced what's in store if we're not.

[TLBSHOW]

The Council on American-Islamic Relations

is a terrorist front group

[JohnGaltSpeaking]

Well it is... it is a war on RADICAL Islam, a war that has been declared on us. Isn't it scary how a good amount "peaceful people" with-in the religion of Islam can't seem to notice the difference?

Alot of it has to do with how your define RADICAL Islam. Most of the people that want to see us wiped out are just following what the Koran says. As for upsetting people, when a group of people has declared you the great satan and is willing to die to exterminate you, it makes sense to keep an eye on anyone in that group

[Chi-Town Lady]

"Pipes' nomination sends entirely the wrong message as America seeks to convince Muslims worldwide that the war on terrorism and the war against Iraq are not attacks on Islam," Nihad Awad, executive director of the council, said in a news statement. "

Personally I don't care what the muslims worldwide think. They've shown their colors many times over and it's always violent. Therefore, I suggest that they seek to convince Americans that islam is not a violent cult. We have nothing we need to prove to them.

[JudgemAll]

Muslims follow a behavior and are a security risk by that term. Until muslims will stop hating America and wish to be freed from their 20th century pseudo-culture that castrate them, they will remain a security risk. What is so difficult to understand? Jews are considered a security risk in US armed forces as well as foreigners when applying for a job, so give me a break muslims.

[JudgemAll]

AntiJew/antithinking useful idiot criticism toned in terms of outcry against anti-muslim criticism.

[Gurn]

I was being slightly tongue-in-cheek. Pipes distinguishes between "moderate" muslims and "Islamists."

I don't. I think every Muslim should be considered the enemy until he/she proves otherwise.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Pipes republished this controversial declaration on March 25, two days after Hasan Karim Akbar, a sergeant with the 101st Airborne Division, allegedly killed Army Capt. Christopher S. Seifert of Williams Township and Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone of Boise, Idaho. Akbar was charged Friday with the two murders.

Capt. Seifert came from my hometown, and he'd probably be alive today if it weren't for the U.S. soldier Hasan Akbar.

[sport]

I believe that the evidence bears out Pipes' observation.

[ZULU]

Yeah, I agree. I wouldn't watch them, I'd deport them to some Islamic paradise like Saudi Arabia.

Being a Muslim and being an American are mutually incompatable.

[kallisti]

what's an institute of peace?

[FrdmLvr]

The Arabs would rather have some one on the board they can roll over, like all true liberals. Their's is the only side which is allowed to look out for its interests.

[KineticKitty]

Kinda like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar... he doesn't really want to be caught.

[KineticKitty]

I agree, he would probably still be alive.

[Bill Davis FR]

and i support the aggravation