January 4, 2008, - 4:32 pm
With a Pentagon Like This, Who Needs Enemies?
By Debbie Schlussel
Last year, I told you about a top Central Command official/David Letterman lookalike, Brig. Gen. Robert Holmes, and his pandering meeting in Dearbornistan with a “former” Islamic terrorist and a host of Islamic extremists.
Well, it’s part of an orchestrated plan by the Pentagon to reach out to extremists and shun criticism of Islam’s dominant radical cloud. The attitude seems to be: Hey, if the FBI, ICE, and the Department of Justice–and even the dopey President–can do it, why can’t we?
Yes, we’ve lost the war domestically, as indicated by the firing of Pentagon Islam expert, Stephen Coughlin:
Stephen Coughlin, the Pentagon specialist on Islamic law and Islamist extremism, has been fired from his position on the military’s Joint Staff. The action followed a report in this space last week revealing opposition to his work for the military by pro-Muslim officials within the office of Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England.
Mr. Coughlin was notified this week that his contract with the Joint Staff will end in March, effectively halting the career of one of the U.S. government’s most important figures in analyzing the nature of extremism and ultimately preparing to wage ideological war against it.
He had run afoul of a key aide to Mr. England, Hasham Islam, who confronted Mr. Coughlin during a meeting several weeks ago when Mr. Islam sought to have Mr. Coughlin soften his views on Islamist extremism.
Mr. Coughlin was accused directly by Mr. Islam of being a Christian zealot or extremist “with a pen,” according to defense officials. Mr. Coughlin appears to have become one of the first casualties in the war of ideas with Islamism.
The officials said Mr. Coughlin was let go because he had become “too hot” or controversial within the Pentagon.
Misguided Pentagon officials, including Mr. Islam and Mr. England, have initiated an aggressive “outreach” program to U.S. Muslim groups that critics say is lending credibility to what has been identified as a budding support network for Islamist extremists, including front groups for the radical Muslim Brotherhood.
Mr. Coughlin wrote a memorandum several months ago based on documents made public in a federal trial in Dallas that revealed a covert plan by the Muslim Brotherhood, an Egyptian-origin Islamist extremist group, to subvert the United States using front groups. Members of one of the identified front groups, the Islamic Society of North America, has been hosted by Mr. England at the Pentagon.
After word of the confrontation between Mr. Coughlin and Mr. Islam was made public, support for Mr. Coughlin skyrocketed among those in and out of government who feared the worst, namely that pro-Muslim officials in the Pentagon were after Mr. Coughlin’s scalp, and that his departure would be a major setback for the Pentagon’s struggling efforts to develop a war of ideas against extremism. Blogs lit up with hundreds of postings, some suggesting that Mr. England’s office is “penetrated” by the enemy in the war on terrorism. . . .
A Joint Staff spokesman had no immediate comment.
With a “defense” department like this, who needs enemies? Thanks to my friend, the great Ruth S. King, for the tip on this latest tragedy and loss for freedom-loving Americans.
Tags: aide, Brig. Gen., Central Command, Dallas, David Letterman, Debbie Schlussel Last, Department of Justice, Deputy Defense Secretary, Egyptian-origin Islamist, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hasham Islam, ICE, Islamic Society of North America, Joint Staff, Muslim Brotherhood, North America, Pentagon, Robert Holmes, Ruth S. King, specialist, spokesman, Stephen Coughlin, U.S. government, United Kingdom, United States
Debbie–
The seeds for the PC, feminized military were planted and grew quickly in the wake of Vietnam, although you could even see it right after WWII.
First clue–the vastly overrated Marshall became the big cheese, inexplicably promoted over MacArthur (not to mention about 200 other more qualified generals), and, of course, MacArthur was later canned…
Add technocrats like the execrable McNamara into the mix, throw in Carter and Clinton, and it’s a wonder that ANYTHING even works these days.
And then, we can’t forget leaving behind POWs in Nam, either. While it may come as a big surprise to those idol worshippers on this site, Mr. Reagan was fully complicit in that sordid business.
Red Ryder on January 4, 2008 at 5:22 pm