More willful blindness. Patrick Poole eviscerated Leiken's naive and self-deluded report calling for this in three parts here, here, and here.
By Eli Lake in the New York Sun (thanks to all who sent this in):
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is quietly weighing the prospect of reaching out to the party that founded modern political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood.Still in its early stages and below the radar, the current American deliberations and diplomacy with the organization, known in Arabic as Ikhwan, take on new significance in light of Hamas's successful coup in Gaza last week. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is widely reported to have helped create Hamas in 1982.
Today the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research will host a meeting with other representatives of the intelligence community to discuss opening more formal channels to the brothers. Earlier this year, the National Intelligence Council received a paper it had commissioned on the history of the Muslim Brotherhood by a scholar at the Nixon Center, Robert Leiken, who is invited to the State Department meeting today to present the case for engagement. On April 7, congressional leaders such as Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic whip, attended a reception where some representatives of the brothers were present. The reception was hosted at the residence in Cairo of the American ambassador to Egypt, Francis Ricciardone, a decision that indicates a change in policy.
"The Bush administration is quietly weighing the prospect of reaching out to the party that founded modern political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood"
....sure!...a party that believes every tragedy that inflicts the Muslims is caused by the Jews .
....sure!...a party that has an extensive German network of Muslim youth organizations dedicating to the Islamification of Europe...
....sure!...a party with deep financial ties to the Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia....
....Sure!...a party that has financed and armed many of the terrorist groups who carry out the constant violent assaults upon those who choose other religions or upon those who happen to inhabit some valuable real estate not controlled by Muslims...
....Sure...a party that has had a hand in many political assassinations in past years.....
...perhaps one day our politicians may realize that you do not quietly weigh the prospect of reaching out to the party that founded modern political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood or any other Islamic organization...you never negotiate with terrorists, you should never try to appease terrorists...you should never arm or finance terrorists...you should never apologize to terrorists...you should never praise terrorists and you should never give credit to terrorists (unless it is credit for spreading death and destruction...for which they do deserve credit)
...your best option is to fight them, hunt down the sleeper cells, deny them of finances, do not allow them to rest, destroy their weapons, deny them of any supplies you can find...locate their supporters....deny them safe havens...if you capture them...deny them any freedom...locate and identify their sympathizers...monitor their communications, break their codes, monitor their travels and their contacts, study their speeches given on tv, radio, or in mass gatherings...covertly infiltrate their organizations with spies and moles....spread disinformation among their allies...create diversions and distractions among their leaders....and educate your own people to the threat these Muslim organizations pose...There is no doubt the Muslim brotherhood seeks to kill NonMuslims and to destroy all freedom as you know it...make no doubt about it...
Now I'm convinced Bush will bring America to its knees...
`The Bush administration is quietly weighing the prospect of reaching out to the party that founded modern political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood.`...`Today the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research will host a meeting with other representatives of the intelligence community to discuss opening more formal channels to the brothers.`
But this time George, please without handshakes.
Sincerely Yours
Rolex
It seems that only the French have got the Muslim Brotherhood sussed.
Looks like Bush and Olmert share the same (pea) brain. We are all doomed as our "leaders" deliver us to the butchers of Islamania on a silver platter. No wonder Islamaniacs feel so superior-they know sheer idiocy when they see it. The same cannot be said of those clueless ones who claim to lead the fight on the unnamed enemy.
Its come a long way from the "if you're not with us , you're against us" speech. Noe it seems "if you're against us, we will try and get in with you". Amnesia at best.
On the surface, it seems like a typical Western liberal lunacy, "reaching out to the enemy". After all, "you make peace with enemies [and not with existing friends]." (I'll let you guess who uttered this idiocy. Hint: Israeli politician.)
But perhaps Bush and his operators do know what they're doing after all. They toppled a secular regime in Iraq. Now they are trying to establish some dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood, which poses a mortal threat to Egypt's secular dictator Mubaraq.
Perhaps the "freedom and liberty" rhetoric is a camouflage for an aggressive, though covert policy, of toppling secular regimes and stoking the fires of war throughout the Middle East. When a sovereign nation becomes a zone of civil war, it loses its sovereignty (in the eyes of the U.N.), and the U.N. has an excuse to step in quickly and offer its "peacekeeping" services by usually establishing martial law. By causing the Muslim nations to become "militantly Islamic" and losing their sovereignty, the U.N./U.S./Western world will have an excuse to impose upon them martial law and to control their precious oil resources.
If Bush (because of his born again Christian beliefs) wants to turn the other cheek to our enemies, Islam, fine, but don't do it at my expense. This delusion that possesing a deep and strong religious belief, whatever the religion or ideology, makes one a better person than the non-believer, is just garbage. This is Bush's ultimate and fatal blindspot for himself, his policies and this country.
After Bush is out of office, can we expect him to follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Carter?
Bush's credibility is in question and his intelligence as well.
Can't wait to see Dubya dressed in bib overalls and building homes for illegals in your neighborhood.
Great I feel real safe knowing that there are high ranking people in the State Department who when they hear "Moderate Muslim" immediately think "Sayyid Qutb"
Behold!
The Republican Jimmy Carter!
It has that freak show appeal to it does it not. Sort of like the two headed goat...
Cannot wait for the "Rose Garden Accords" with reps from the Muslims Brotherhood giving Bush a Quran and Bush talking about his universal religion called "Faith"...
Afterall we are all men of faith! Akef is a good man! A family man! I told him "Akefie" you are welcome to share a weekend at the ranch with me and my wife Laura. We can all go bike riding!
Where's the cake!
:)
"After Bush is out of office, can we expect him to follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Carter?
Bush's credibility is in question and his intelligence as well.
Can't wait to see Dubya dressed in bib overalls and building homes for illegals in your neighborhood.
Posted by: TheOmegaMan "
....HA..and Dhimmis cARTERS homes for habitat have been in the news lately...It seems they are falling apart and the owners are complaining of the smell of the garbage dump located next to the houses...
Carters houses, just like his administration, are shoddy and smell bad...
Good maybe if they start talking to them they will get a real taste of Ikhwan bullshit and snap out of it.
Bush is a self-serving, opportunist.
That's all folks!
After Bush is out of office, he and Carter should be made chair of a bipartisan panel to promote love to Muslims, and the first act that they should be made to do is to get airdropped over Mecca in the middle of the Haj. Then let the believers take it from there.
US_infidel,
Good post, I never thought of it that way before. This would make sense IF Dubya hadn't proven such incompetency domestically and in Iraq.
Bush has no vision for America. The only vision he has is how much wealth his cronies (Saudis included) can make in the next five years. He calls himself a Christian but ingores all the atrocities committed by Muslims against Christians. He squanders our Treasure (our best young men and women) on a war he has no intention of winning.
He's worse than Carter. In fact since the White House is considering opening up communication (i.e., Helping) with a terrorist organization, it could conceivably be considered Treasonous by definition in the US Constitution. But since we have not formally declared war on anyone yet that's his loophole.
For the first time in my life I have considered leaveing the US because I don't see any future staying here and paying my taxes...
What happened to "We will not negotiate with terrorist?"
...like Chamberlain reached out to Hitler.
Well, since Saudi Arabia took in many of the brotherhood in the middle part of the last century as imams, I suppose this fits with Bush. He is Saudi Arabia's boy george.
Let us not forget the the brotherhood prode osma bin laden.
If they start talks with the Muslim Brotherhood, they might as well talk to Al Qaeda, Hamas and all other terrorist factions.
What's the war on terror about if it's not about the original terrorist organisation that spawned Al Qaeda - the Muslim Brotherhood.
It's not only sheer lunacy, it's hypocrisy and an insult to the many brave men the allies have lost in this war!
From Patrick Poole's articles linked above:
"The lynchpin of their (Robert Leiken and Steven Brooke who wrote paper promtong the idea to "reachout") thesis, that the Muslim Brotherhood has “rejected global jihad” and is “embracing democracy,” is simply asserted and assumed throughout their Foreign Affairs article, and those two points were the focus of my previous criticism."
Muslim brotherhood "Embracing democracy". That explains Dubya's love with the reachout idea.
He actually thinks he has the magic elixer to cure 1400 year old deasease/death cult of over 1 billion people. Feed them democracy, intravenously if necessary, they will be cured and the world will be saved.
He'd better stick with Jesus before he gets himself blown up by this "Brotherhood."
Bush STILL hasn't a clue what he's dealing with (hint: it's NOT 'peace'!).
. . . and crown thy good with brotherhood--Muslim that is--from sea to shining sea.
That's from the revised "America the Beautiful"
I've been a GW supporter since the campaign for the 2000 election.
But this stuff is getting way out of hand.
This man is actually going to undo his own legacy.
The Great Hero of Albania wants to be loved by the Muslim Brotherhood as well. Sad.
On the way to work one morning
down the path beside the lake
A tender hearted woman
saw a poor half-frozen snake.
His brightly colored skin
was frost white with the dew
"Poor thing!" she cried,
"I'll take you in
and I'll take care of you."
She wrapped him up all cozy
in a comforter of silk
and laid him by the fireside
with honey and some milk
She hurried home from work that night
and soon as she arrived
She found the snake she'd taken in
had fully been revived.
She clutched him to her bosom
"You're beautiful" she cried.
"If I hadn't brought you in
today you surely would have died."
She stroked his pretty skin again
and kissed him oh so tight,
but instead of saying "Thank you Ma'am",
the snake gave her a bite.
"I saved you!" cried the woman
"And you've bitten me, but why?"
"You know your bite is poisonous
and surely I must die."
"Shut up, you stupid woman."
the snake said with a grin.
"You knew that I was a snake
the day you took me in."
Islam is the snake we must be wary of.
"The Bush administration is quietly weighing the prospect of reaching out to the party that founded modern political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood."
Sheer f&^%&*g lunacy.
the MB spawned the EIJ , Al Qaeda , Hamas........
And when told of this , the Great Dubya responded "Great! Hey , let's have a chinwag with these chaps"
He really is just a drug taking hippy coward.
Apologies to any hippies out there.
PSA:
Tonight at 9pm (to 10:30) on FOX NEWS is a program titled "Banned By PBS; Muslims Against Jihad."
This is NOT the same film as "Islam vs. The Islamists" which FOX also plans to show eventually. I don't know anything about this one except that it is by the same outfit (represented by Frank Gaffney last night) that produced Islam vs. the Islamists.
It promises to be of interest to JW readers (and hopefully well beyond).
Bush is way out of control. The 'brothers' were also the inspiration for the forming of Al-Qaeda.
People should read Qutb's books ( through amazon ) .Islamic fundamentalism started with his ideas.Qutb was also the founder of the muslim brotherhood in Egypt.