www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=20539

The Pentagon Breaks the Islam Taboo  
By Paul Sperry
FrontPageMagazine.com | December 14, 2005

Washington's policy-makers have been careful in the war on terror to distinguish between Islam and the terrorists. The distinction has rankled conservatives who see scarce difference.

A little-noticed speech by President Bush in October gave them some hope. In a major rhetorical shift, he described the enemy as "Islamic radicals" and not just "terrorists," although he still denies that radicalism has anything to do with their religion.

Now for the first time, a key Pentagon intelligence agency involved in homeland security is delving into Islam's holy texts to answer whether Islam is being radicalized by the terrorists or is already radical. Military brass want a better understanding of what's motivating the insurgents in Iraq and the terrorists around the globe, including those inside America who may be preparing to strike domestic military bases. The enemy appears indefatigable, even more active now than before 9/11.

Are the terrorists really driven by self-serving politics and personal demons? Or are they driven by religion? And if it's religion, are they following a manual of war contained in their scripture?

Answers are hard to come by. Four years into the war on terror, U.S. intelligence officials tell me there are no baseline studies of the Muslim prophet Muhammad or his ideological or military doctrine found at either the CIA or Defense Intelligence Agency, or even the war colleges.

But that is slowly starting to change as the Pentagon develops a new strategy to deal with the threat from Islamic terrorists through its little-known intelligence agency called the Counterintelligence Field Activity or CIFA, which staffs hundreds of investigators and analysts to help coordinate Pentagon security efforts at home and abroad. CIFA also supports Northern Command in Colorado, which was established after 9/11 to help military forces react to terrorist threats in the continental United
States.

Dealing with the threat on a tactical and operational level through counterstrikes and capture has proven only marginally successful. Now military leaders want to combat it from a strategic standpoint, using informational warfare, among other things. A critical part of that strategy involves studying Islam, including the Quran and the hadiths, or traditions of Muhammad.

"Today we are confronted with a stateless threat that does not have at the strategic level targetable entities: no capitals, no economic base, no military formations or installations," states a new Pentagon briefing paper I've obtained. "Yet political Islam wages an ideological battle against the non-Islamic world at the tactical, operational and strategic level. The West's response is focused at the tactical and operation level, leaving the strategic level -- Islam -- unaddressed."

So far the conclusions of intelligence analysts assigned to the project, who include both private contractors and career military officials, contradict the commonly held notion that Islam is a peaceful religion hijacked or distorted by terrorists. They've found that the terrorists for the most part are following a war-fighting doctrine articulated through Muhammad in the Quran, elaborated on in the hadiths, codified in Islamic or sharia law, and reinforced by recent interpretations or fatwahs.

"Islam is an ideological engine of war (Jihad)," concludes the sensitive Pentagon briefing paper. And "no one is looking for its off switch."

Why? One major reason, the briefing states, is government-wide "indecision [over] whether Islam is radical or being radicalized."

So, which is it? "Strategic themes suggest Islam is radical by nature," according to the briefing, which goes on to cite the 26 chapters of the Quran dealing with violent jihad and the examples of the Muslim prophet, who it says sponsored "terror and slaughter" against unbelievers.

"Muhammad's behaviors today would be defined as radical," the defense document says, and Muslims today are commanded by their "militant" holy book to follow his example. It adds: Western leaders can no longer afford to overlook the "cult characteristics of Islam."

It also ties Muslim charity to war. Zakat, the alms-giving pillar of Islam, is described in the briefing as "an asymmetrical war-fighting funding mechanism." Which in English translates to: combat support under the guise of tithing. Of the eight obligatory categories of disbursement of Muslim charitable donations, it notes that two are for funding jihad, or holy war. Indeed, authorities have traced millions of dollars received by major jihadi terror groups like Hamas and al-Qaida back to Saudi and other foreign Isamic charities and also U.S. Muslim charities, such as the Holy Land Foundation.

According to the Quran, jihad is not something a Muslim can opt out of. It demands able-bodied believers join the fight. Those unable -- women and the elderly -- are not exempt; they must give "asylum and aid" (Surah 8:74) to those who do fight the unbelievers in the cause of Allah.

In analyzing the threat on the domestic front, the Pentagon briefing draws perhaps its most disturbing conclusions. It argues the U.S. has not suffered from scattered insurgent attacks -- as opposed to the concentrated and catastrophic attack by al-Qaida on 9-11 -- in large part because it has a relatively small Muslim population. But that could change as the Muslim minority grows and gains more influence.

The internal document explains that Islam divides offensive jihad into a "three-phase attack strategy" for gaining control of lands for Allah. The first phase is the "Meccan," or weakened, period, whereby a small Muslim minority asserts itself through largely peaceful and political measures involving Islamic NGOs -- such as the Islamic Society of North America, which investigators say has its roots in the militant Muslim Brotherhood, and Muslim pressure groups, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, whose leaders are on record expressing their desire to Islamize America.

In the second "preparation" phase, a "reasonably influential" Muslim minority starts to turn more militant. The briefing uses Britain and the Netherlands as examples.

And in the final jihad period, or "Medina Stage," a large minority uses its strength of numbers and power to rise up against the majority, as Muslim youth recently demonstrated in terrorizing France, the Pentagon paper notes.

It also notes that unlike Judaism and Christianity, Islam advocates expansion by force. The final command of jihad, as revealed to Muhammad in the Quran, is to conquer the world in the name of Islam. The defense briefing adds that Islam is also unique in classifying unbelievers as "standing enemies against whom it is legitimate to wage war."

Right now political leaders don't understand the true nature of the threat,\ it says, because the intelligence community has yet to educate them. They still think Muslim terrorists, even suicide bombers, are mindless "criminals" motivated by "hatred of our freedoms," rather than religious zealots motivated by their faith. And as a result, we have no real strategic plan for winning a war against jihadists.

Even many intelligence analysts and investigators working in the field with the Joint Terrorism Task Forces have a shallow understanding of Islam.

"I don't like to criticize our intelligence services, because we did win the Cold War," says a Northern Command intelligence official. "However, all of these organizations have made only limited progress adjusting to the current threat or the sharing of information."

Why? "All suffer heavily from political correctness," he explains.

PC still infects the Pentagon, four years after jihadists hit the nation's military headquarters.

"A lot of folks here have a very pedestrian understanding of Islam and the Islamic threat," a Pentagon intelligence analyst working on the project told me. "We're getting Islam 101, and we need Islam 404."

The hardest part of formulating a strategic response to the threat is defining Islam as a political and military enemy. Once that psychological barrier has been crossed, defense sources tell me, the development of countermeasures -- such as educating the public about the militant nature of Islam and exploiting "critical vulnerabilities" or rifts within the Muslim faith and community -- can begin.

"Most Americans don't realize we are in a war of survival -- a war that is going to continue for decades," the Northcom official warns.

It remains to be seen, however, whether our PC-addled political leaders would ever adopt such controversial measures.

Good article and sounds perfectly realistic to me as to why our government(s) act in disbelief when scores around them are saying this same thing.  

Hopefully the groundswell of education will continue.

i might forward that on to my Islam professor from last semester and see what he thinks

.

I've said it from the beginning. This is the big one, for ALL the marbles. Look for China to take advantage of it.

We will be at war throughout the century.

How dare you post something like that.  It will most assuredly be locked and the Islam defenders will be swooping down upon you to see you straight.

One thing they mentioned is certain:  Our entire nation (not just our intelligence agencies) cannot see the issue clearly, because of this unnatural devotion to Political Correctness.

Will they start calling kettle black?  I doubt it.  More likely, this report will get deep-sixed, and the authors sent to mandatory sensitivity training.

call spade a spade I say.

Tag for later. I'm so hungry, I may as well have ADD.

What was I typing about?

tag for later!

Four years after 9/11, and with all the various and sundry terrorist acts and acts of war from the past decades, someone FINALLY starts groping for the light switch.

Does somebody in the Pentagon finally get it? We can only hope friends.

.

terrorism is the tactic,  islamowako is the enemy, but no Politician will ever say that out loud

tag.

Its about time they got round to this. Read up on Said Qutb. He's the guy who kicked this mess off back in the '50s.

That article is a coc violation, is it not?

There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers......

Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers......

That didn't take long.

Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... That didn't take long.

The truth hurts sometimes.

Quoted: A little-noticed speech by President Bush in October gave them some hope. In a major rhetorical shift, he described the enemy as "Islamic radicals" and not just "terrorists," although he still denies that radicalism has anything to do with their religion.

Why not call them "Radicals who just happen to be Islamic"?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... That didn't take long. The truth hurts sometimes.

Dude, can we please leave the druids out of this?!

Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers......

In the past few centuries? No.

Go and elsewhere.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... That didn't take long. The truth hurts sometimes.

Yep, that's the problem.

Those crazy Baptists, flying those jets into buildings, killing thousands.

And those dern Methodists, cutting off people's heads on television.

Don't forget those Church of Christ terrorists, blowing themselves up in the middle of crowds.

Oh.  

Wait.  

Those weren't Christians doing those things.  It was the followers of Islam.



Only_Hits_Count, you only make yourself look silly with such statements.  You have to dig up hundreds of year old history and even then be dishonest about it, to compare Christianity and its teachings to the present day actions of Islam.

Give it a rest.

Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... In the past few centuries? No. Go and elsewhere.

another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school.

"Islam is an ideological engine of war (Jihad)," concludes the sensitive Pentagon briefing paper. And "no one is looking for its off switch."

Well said.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... In the past few centuries? No. Go and elsewhere. another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school.

All you're going to do is get an excellent thread locked.

Quoted: Quoted: another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school. All you're going to do is get an excellent thread locked.

And that is exactly what he is trying to do.

It would seem it has always been a battle:

Genesis
11
The angel of the Lord also said to her:
"You are now with child and you will have a son.  You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.
12
He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers"

But..........does this mean that the ROP......is not?

Quoted: Quoted: A little-noticed speech by President Bush in October gave them some hope. In a major rhetorical shift, he described the enemy as "Islamic radicals" and not just "terrorists," although he still denies that radicalism has anything to do with their religion. Why not call them "Radicals who just happen to be Islamic"? Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... That didn't take long. The truth hurts sometimes. Dude, can we please leave the druids out of this?!

And the Jews.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... In the past few centuries? No. Go and elsewhere. another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school.

I am a charter member of the Arfcom Agnostics, you simpleton.

Why do you leftards believe that Christianity, circa 1100 AD, should somehow be compared to Islam, circa.Righthefucknow? Christendom has advanced in the past 500 or so years. Too bad the same cannot be said of Islam.

Quoted: Why do you leftards believe that Christianity, circa 1100 AD, should somehow be compared to Islam, circa.Righthefucknow? Christendom has advanced in the past 500 or so years. Too bad the same cannot be said of Islam.

(As a joke) They live in the fucking desert.  The only place they can advance to is the next sand dune.

If the Pentagon and the War Colleges need baseline studies, maybe they should look to the history of the Crusades, from both sides of the story just to be fair.

Then, they can update that with recent Iranian and Taliban history, the operations of the Wahabe in the US and elsewhere, and CAIR.

WTF.

Oh, and there was that little indiscretion in New York City by some of their darlin's.

The entire country and its most important institutions are turning into limp wristed, hand wringing ...

ROPMA

Wait... So these people have been spewing that their religion is what is causing them to do all this for years now, and the Pentagon just now decides they should maybe examine their "holy documents"?

WTF Over?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school. All you're going to do is get an excellent thread locked. And that is exactly what he is trying to do.

wow!!! you're psychic too!!!!!
<rolls eyes>

spare me.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... In the past few centuries? No. Go and elsewhere. another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school. I am a charter member of the Arfcom Agnostics, you simpleton. Why do you leftards believe that Christianity, circa 1100 AD, should somehow be compared to Islam, circa.Righthefucknow? Christendom has advanced in the past 500 or so years. Too bad the same cannot be said of Islam.

Your assumptions appear to be inacurate.

and you lack civility sir.

Now military leaders want to combat it from a strategic standpoint, using informational warfare, among other things. A critical part of that strategy involves studying Islam, including the Quran and the hadiths, or traditions of Muhammad

Something I've been saying for quite a while.
The only way to defeat an ideology, is to understand the ideology.
Isolate the terrorists from the people.
Call bin Laden out on the carpet whenever al-qaeda blows up innocent civilian muslims.
Everytime he does something that goes against sharia, call him on it.
Put him on the defensive, and make him answer to his fellow muslims.

And for God's sake, don't let the word "crusade" slip into anymore speeches.
Saying the war on terror is going to be a crusade is like telling a Southerner you're going to march like sherman through Georgia.
Kind of a sensitive topic.

Quoted: another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school.

What a . Go back to DU.

Quoted: Dang they skipped right over Koran's the reasons for a jihad ... an ommission so big, so huge, so amazing, that it speaks volumes in it's silence ... only the ignorate would miss such an blunder on that scale. Like trying to decribe a baseball game without mentioning a bat and ball there are major problems with this author's decription of the military study. PS: IBTL!

I do believe I know where you are going, but I am not sure.
Would you care to elaborate?

Quoted: Quoted: another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school. What a . Go back to DU.

I can't decide if you people are amusing, or just sadly misinformed.
I think mostly the latter.

here are a few happy holiday quotes:


The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. (Psalms 58:10)

So Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well(Exodus 12)


peace and love.

Every group has its goofballs.  Name any group under the sun, and you will find murderers, traitors, arsonists, etc.  There is nothing new under the sun here.

The question should be, "Are these dirtbags who just happen to belong to Group X, or does Group X have dirtbag-ism as one of its' foundational principles?".  If I read correctly, that was one of the issues investigated in the report.

Let's say that all of the grocery stores in town have had an employee go on a robbery spree.  Are you going to stop buying groceries?  No, grocery stores are for groceries; they are not in the business of robbing banks.

I do not condemn Islam because some of its adherents are homicidal maniacs.  I condemn it because it is false from its very foundation.  Lets say for the sake of argument that I do not believe that Islam is false.  How could I condemn it on account of the acts of some of its (supposed) adherents?  I might as well condemn Dr. Pepper because Boy George drinks it...

 

Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers......

Followers of Atheism (Stalin/Mao) killing those who don't believe in Atheism?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... In the past few centuries? No. Go and elsewhere. another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school.

To bad we cant ban people on account of utter stupidity.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: another thin-skinned 'believer' that swallowed everything he was told in sunday school. What a . Go back to DU. I can't decide if you people are amusing, or just sadly misinformed. I think mostly the latter. here are a few happy holiday quotes: The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. (Psalms 58:10) So Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well(Exodus 12) peace and love.

Good grief.  I'm an athiest and that is pretty weak even from my perspective.

I see this is going down like that famous flaming blimp.  


EJECT!   EJECT!

Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers......

Perhaps----500 FUCKING YEARS AGO!!!


Welcome to the 21st Century. Medieval thinking is out of vogue.

Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers......

All religions to one degree or another have that history, but none more than the religion of atheism.
To put it another way, the slaughter of believers by non-believers is well into the hundreds of millions. Nothing else even comes close.

Quoted: Quoted: There is another religion with a history of killing non-believers...... All religions to one degree or another have that history, but none more than the religion of atheism. To put it another way, the slaughter of believers by non-believers is well into the hundreds of millions. Nothing else even comes close.

I don't find atheism to be a religion.

(objectively) comparing body counts would be illuminating, to say the least.
If you have sources, please share them

Quoted: Why do you leftards believe that Christianity, circa 1100 AD, should somehow be compared to Islam, circa.Righthefucknow? Christendom has advanced in the past 500 or so years. Too bad the same cannot be said of Islam. Your assumptions appear to be inacurate. and you lack civility sir.

Actually his statement is spot on.  All one has to do is look at life in predominantly Muslim countries versus the rest of the civilized world.

sharia law (based on islam) = Radical

How hard is that to understand.