Posted on 01/05/2008 1:55:51 PM PST by Candor7
As noted in Cliff's post yesterday (relying on a Bill Gertz report in the Washington Times), the Pentagon has sacked an authentic, influential scholar of Islam, Stephen Coughlin, who evidently refused to lie about — er, I mean, "soften his views on" — Islamic extremism (which, like it or not, is rooted in Islamic scripture) at the insistence of one Hasham Islam, Army Chief Gordon England's Islamophilic factotum (one of countless such creatures now pervading the federal government).
For more on this, check out this post on the new website of Andrew Bostom, another scholar of Islam. Andy knows Coughlin and his work. He also draws a worthy comparison between Coughlin and William Eaton, whose travails trying to defend the American people against both jihadism and elements in his own government occurred two centuries ago. Particularly interesting is this, from early America's first contacts with the jihadists of the day, the Barbary pirates:
Thirty years earlier, in 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, then serving as American ambassadors to France and Britain, respectively, met in London with the Tripolitan Ambassador to Britain, Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja. These future American presidents were attempting to negotiate a peace treaty which would spare the United States the ravages of jihad piracy—murder, enslavement (with ransoming for redemption), and expropriation of valuable commercial assets—emanating from the Barbary states (modern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya). During their discussions, they questioned Ambassador Adja as to the source of the unprovoked animus directed at the nascent United States republic. Jefferson and Adams, in their subsequent report to the Continental Congress, recorded the Tripolitan Ambassador’s justification:
… that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Mussulman who should be slain in Battle was sure to go to Paradise. 'Twas ever thus. Steve Coughlin is apparently gone for saying so.
01/05 01:42 PM
Last line of the article:
England said he rarely disagrees with Islam’s guidance. “After all,” he said, “if you have a good doctor, you listen to your doctor, right?”
... Yikes!
You might hope that someone that high up in the Defense Department would understand who our enemies are.
England should definitely be required to explain himself and his actions and his slavish and uncritical burnoose-kissing. Get a crowd together and demand an explanation - noisily, and publicly so.
This is horrible DoD policy in turfing Coughlin. And from reading I have done, Islam is to blame, accusing Coughlin of being a Christian zealot, when all Coughlin was doing was telling the truth about jihadism and its goals, as mandated by his employers.
I wish Coughlin would speak out about this.
Thanks again Cicero. You just accomplished a Freeper Scoop. I had not thought of the mis-spelling angle. All of the articles ( about a dozen)I have read spelled it Hasham Islam. One wonders if the press was somewhat misled and used only a single source.
So now we have an agent of the DoD foisting dhimmitude on the American people, and being paid our tax dollars to do it.Now thats "relationship building!" ***************************************************
Senior Advisor to Deputy Secretary Focuses on Relationship Building
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2007 – If Hesham Islam’s life story was translated into a screenplay -- and it’s got all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster -- the director would be hard-pressed to come up with a more compelling chain of events landing him as a top advisor to the deputy defense secretary.
Hesham Islam, special assistant for international affairs to Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, spends a rare moment in his Pentagon office. Islam spends most of his time out of the office, building relationships.
The movie would open with Islam as a young boy growing up in Cairo, Egypt, huddling in terror as Israeli bombs came raining down, demolishing much of the building around him and his family.
Next would be the scene of the teenager who moves to Iraq when his Egyptian naval officer father is transferred to help establish the Arabian Gulf naval academy Islam would later attend.
The camera would then close in on a young merchant mariner adrift for three days in the Arabian Sea after an Iranian torpedo sunk his 16,000-ton cargo ship, drowning all but Islam and four of his crewmates.
Next viewers would see the young man, who after corresponding with an American pen-pal for more than three years, dares ask for the photograph that leaves him smitten with his future wife.
The action would shift to the United States, where the new husband, desperate to provide for his family, enlists in the Navy. Later he will be accepted into Officer Candidate School, then ultimately retire 20 years later as a Navy commander.
Today, Islam is drawing on those vast experiences to advise Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England on international affairs.
Although Islam’s life lends itself to high-drama scenes typically seen on the big screen, England sees him more as a behind-the-scenes player with a special talent for bringing other actors together.
Before retiring from the Navy, Islam contributed this skill and his regional and language expertise on the staff of then-Navy Secretary England. Much of Islam’s work focused on U.S. military engagement with the Middle East.
As England moved to the No. 2 Pentagon position, Islam followed, broadening his purview to “the whole globe.”
“He’s my interlocutor,” England said. “He represents me to the international community. He assists me in my own outreach efforts, and he’s extraordinarily good at it.”
*************Islam is rarely at his Pentagon desk, believing the best way to serve as England’s “man out in town in Washington, D.C.” is to be out and about, building relationships.*****************
“I am a strong believer that there are no relationships between countries,” he said. “Relationships are between people, and those relationships are what bring countries together.”
“It is all about friendships between people,” agreed England, “and you build them one person at a time.”
England calls relationship building “a contact sport.” “You can’t develop friendships unless you actually go out and take the effort to meet people and interact with people,” he said.
As he represents the Defense Department around the country and the around the world, England said, he counts on Islam’s insights and advice. “Hesham helps me understand people’s different perspectives and how they see things,” England said. “He has a cultural background that’s very helpful, but he also works at it very hard to get a better understanding of people and how they think.”
Islam works tirelessly to befriend diplomats from around the world, learning from each about their country, its sensitivities, and its requirements. “I help them understand us, as Americans, and help my boss understand them,” he said. “My goal is to bridge the gap and help people understand each other, even if we are different.”
Not all Islam’s efforts are directed toward other countries. A Muslim, Islam works closely with the Muslim-American community, encouraging its members to integrate into American society and take an active stand with the United States in the war on violent extremism. “This war can’t be won by just Americans,” he said. “It’s a war that has to be fought by Muslims. Islam has been hijacked, and it is time to take it back.”
Islam said he’s proud of the 5,000 Muslims actively supporting that effort in the U.S. military. Among them is his own son, Navy Lt. j.g. Rami Islam, who serves aboard the carrier USS Carl Vinson. “As a parent, I’m very proud that my son is serving this country,” he said.
After growing up in wartime, first in Egypt, then in Iraq, Islam hopes this dialogue can help eliminate differences that can lead to misunderstanding and conflict. “If people talk, people don’t fight. If they talk, they don’t argue,” he said. “I try to bring talking and understanding into the dialogue.”
“Hesham has wonderful friendships and relationships, and therefore he can give me extraordinarily good advice in dealing with countries and people,” England said. “I take his advice, and I listen to him all the time.”
England said he rarely disagrees with Islam’s guidance. “After all,” he said, “if you have a good doctor, you listen to your doctor, right?”
***************************************************
I noticed that Islam's "relationship building" did not extend to Coughlin, who accurately described jihadism, its historical methods and goals to the DoD.That fact makes Hesham Islam "personna non grata" in my book.
Hesham Islam does not want historical truth on Muslims to form the basis for "relationship building." Hesham Islam does not want the DoD to be properly informed as a policy matter.
That makes Hesham Islam a servant of the Muslim people rather than the US government.
Why don't we have Hesham Islam's equal in other DoD staffers to build relatinships with America's other "minority" communities. Why just Muslims in the USA?
**********************************************
England left the world of business to enter government during the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush serving in a number of key roles, having previously served as a member of the Defense Science Board.
72nd Secretary of the Navy
England was a controversial choice for Secretary of the Navy due to his lack of any military service experience and his long career in the defense industry including his most recent appointment as Executive Vice President of General Dynamics Corporation. Critics such as William D. Hartung, Head of the Arms Trade Resource Center, felt that it was inappropriate to appoint businessmen whose companies would be the prime benefactor of any increase in defense spending. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld however had decided to make corporate experience one of the key requirements in his appointees as was reported in the Washington Times. This policy led to England's appointment alongside other leading industrialists including James Roche and Thomas E. White. England was sworn in on May 24, 2001. He is reported in the Washington Post as having announced that one of his key aims in the role was the development of "futuristic weapons to counter new types of threats emerging in the post-Soviet world."
The Washington Post reports that during his time in this role "England has joined with Adm. Vernon Clark, chief of naval operations, in directing some of the most sweeping change the service has seen in decades." The report goes on to list the following;
Retiring dozens of ships
Shedding thousands of jobs,
Consolidating Navy and Marine Corps tactical aviation forces
Juggling crew deployments to keep some ships at sea longer
Devising plans to surge more warships into action faster during a crisis.
By an instruction dated 31 May 2002, England directed all United States Navy ships to fly the first navy jack in honor of those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. The jack is to be flown for the duration of the War on Terrorism.
England left the post in January 2003 for a new position within the administration.
1st Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security
Gordon R. England is sworn-in by David O. Cooke as Secretary of the Navy.On January 24, 2003 England took up his new role as Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security in the newly formed United States Department of Homeland Security. Although England's stint in this post was brief a close associate quoted in the Washington Post states that it "broadened his exposure to the White House and his 'contact base' in Washington."
73rd Secretary of the Navy
************England was recalled to once again take on the role of Secretary of the Navy after just a few months following the suicide of his nominated replacement Colin R. McMillan.************* England was sworn in on October 1, 2003 becoming only the second person to hold the post twice and the first to serve back-to-back terms. According to a close associate quoted in the Washington Post, England's time in the United States Department of Homeland Security had "expanded [his] view of the administration's war on terrorism", which lead to a number of initiatives that he pursued in his second term at the Pentagon including;
Stronger ties between the Navy and Coast Guard
Greater assistance to Marines on the front lines in Iraq
In June 2004 a Supreme Court ruling granted prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba the right to plead their cases in U.S. courts. As the BBC pointed out the 600 hundred detainees had been languishing in legal limbo since their capture during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, during which time only three detainees had been charged and several dozen had been sent back home following diplomatic pressure from other nations. England was appointed to head the review that was conducted in secret by a panel consisting of three military officers to whom prisoners were given the chance to provide facts to support their case for release. England made clear that************** "The question is: Are they still threats to America? It's not guilt or innocence."************** As a result of this review 38 prisoners were released due to a lack of evidence that England referred to as ‘thin files’.
England was succeeded as Secretary of the Navy by Donald C. Winter, and awaits Senate confirmation for his next role.
Deputy Secretary of Defense
England was nominated as Deputy Secretary of Defense on May 13, 2005 and immediately took up the role in an acting capacity while awaiting his confirmation. His replacement of Paul Wolfowitz has been looked upon favorably in the media with the Washington Post commenting, "England has a reputation for being less ideological than Wolfowitz and more attuned to the administrative demands of the Pentagon's second-ranking civilian job'" but critics still maintain that his prime loyalty remains to the defense industry. England was recess appointed to the full Deputy Secretary position on January 4, 2006 by President Bush.
Determines which Guantanamo detainees should be released
Gordon R. England, and Carl Levin tour Guantanamo.The Administrative Review Boards which review the factors for and against the continued detention of Guantanamo detainees do not make the final determination. They prepare a recommendation to a "Designated Civilian Official" -- currently the Deputy Secretary of Defense. As of August 10, 2006 the second set of annual Administrative Review Boards had reviewed 209 of the 330 detainees eligible for having their detention reviewed.[2] England had made a determination of only 58 cases, ruling that 27 detainees should be transferred to the custody of their home countries, and that 31 should be retained in Guantanamo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_R._England
************************************************
Readers should note that Dep. Sec England has never been before a Congressional Committee to vet him for his appointment. Something tells me that an FBI security report on him in that process would prove more than interesting.
I am going to print out this jerk traitor’s photo and use it on my husband’s dart board.What they did to Coughlin is vile and unforgivable.
This matter of possible infiltration of Islamists inside the No. 2 Defense position raises some concern about the obsessive politically correct DoD. Let us ask ourselves a question. Does the Deputy Secretary have outreach officers on his staff to Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Confucians, Hindus, B’Hai, Zoroastrians, Wiccans and garden variety atheists?
Assuming the answer is no, then clearly he is bending over backwards to address complaints from Muslim Brotherhood front groups. Pity.
He just might have to give back that Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson award that JINSA gave him in Israel.
Mr. Coughlin noted that the documents identified one of the Muslim Brotherhood front groups as the Islamic Society of North America, whose leaders were hosted by Mr. England in April at the Pentagon, raising concerns that the deputy defense secretary does not understand clearly the nature of the Islamist threat he is working against as the No. 2 official.
Mr. England has been a leading advocate of what critics in the Pentagon say is a misguided attempt to reach out to the wrong Muslims, regardless of their views, in an effort to counter Muslim extremism.
Islam said he’s proud of the 5,000 Muslims actively supporting that effort in the U.S. military. Among them is his own son, Navy Lt. j.g. Rami Islam, who serves aboard the carrier USS Carl Vinson.
Thanks g76.
I notice that Hesham Islam appears to holding a glass of wine in his hand.
Curious.
holding a glass of wine in his hand.
.
"The American commander [probably referring to Edward Preble, the commander of the American naval blockade off the Barbary States], with a small force and in a short space of time, has done more for the cause of Christianity than the most powerful nations of Christendom have done for ages."
“”The American commander [probably referring to Edward Preble, the commander of the American naval blockade off the Barbary States], with a small force and in a short space of time, has done more for the cause of Christianity than the most powerful nations of Christendom have done for ages.””
What a sorry comparison can be made with the clown in the White House. Just today he was groveling in the dirt at the feet of the Grand Malaka, or whatever he’s called, of Dubai, assuring His All Mohammedanism that the American people “respect” his religion. I don’t. I spit on it! By the way, the Grand Malaka of course said nothing about respecting Christianity of Judaism.
Don’t know if you’ve seen this yet, but anyway, here’s a picture of Hasham Islam.
http://pedestrianinfidel.blogspot.com/2008/01/enemy-within-dod-puppet-england-and.html
btt
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