While looking for something else I noticed a wrinkle in the transcript of Hillary's speech on ISIS to the Council on Foreign Relations. Her topic is whether we are at war with Islam, which of course no Republican leader is saying:
...we are in a contest of ideas against an ideology of hate, and we have to win. Let’s be clear, though, Islam is not our adversary. Muslims are peaceful and tolerant people, and have nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism. The obsession in some quarters with a clash of civilization, or repeating the specific words radical Islamic terrorism isn’t just a distraction, it gives these criminals, these murderers more standing than they deserve. It actually plays into their hands by alienating partners we need by our side.
Yeah, yeah, never say "radical Islam" or ISIS wins. But these are her very next words (my emphasis):
Our priority should be how to fight the enemy. In the end, it didn’t matter what kind of terrorist we call bin Laden, it mattered that we killed bin Laden. But we still can’t close our eyes to the fact that there is a distorted and dangerous stream of extremism within the Muslim world that continues to spread. Its adherents are relatively few in number, but capable of causing profound damage, most especially to their own communities throughout an arc of instability that stretches from North and West Africa to Asia.
What?!? There is a "distorted and dangerous" strain of Islam capable of causing profound damage to which we "can't close our eyes"? But using the word 'radical" to describe this "distorted and dangerous" group is out of bounds? (I am giving her a pass on her ludicrous 'Don't know your enemy, just kill 'em' exhortation.)
She has some stray thoughts which touch on this in a puzzling manner:
Today, European nations don’t even always alert each other when they turn away a suspected jihadist at the border, or when a passport is stolen.
Jihadist? How could that have anything to do with terror or Islam? And back in the States:
Law enforcement also needs the trust of residents and communities, including in our own country Muslim Americans. Now, this should go without saying, but in the current climate, it bears repeating. Muslim Americans are working every day on the front lines of the fight against radicalization.
The source of my confusion should be obvious - if the struggle with ISIS has nothing to do with Islam, why is she citing mosques and their efforts against radicalization? Surely the Pope and the US bishops and cardinals could be as helpful in eliciting the assistance of the Catholic Church. Why not mention that?
Her closing thoughts include this:
This is a time for American leadership. No other country can rally the world to defeat ISIS and win the generational struggle against radical jihadism.
Hillary's also used this formulation - it's not radical Islam, it's radical jihadism - at the recent Democratic debate. It was nonsense then and her effort at the CFR speech shows the near-impossibility of discussing ISIS without admitting a connection to Islam.
From the debate:
DICKERSON: Secretary Clinton, you mentioned radical jihadists. Marco Rubio, also running for president, said that this attack showed and the attack in Paris showed that we are at war with radical Islam. Do you agree with that characterization, radical Islam?
CLINTON: I don’t think we’re at war with Islam. I don’t think we’re at war with all Muslims. I think we’re at war with jihadists who have —
DICKERSON: Just to interrupt. He didn’t say all Muslims. He just said radical Islam. Is that a phrase you don’t…
CLINTON: I think THAT you can talk about Islamists who clearly are also jihadists, but I think it’s not particularly helpful to make the case that Senator Sanders was just making that I agree with, that we’ve got to reach out to Muslim countries.
We’ve got to have them be part of our coalition. If they hear people running for president who basically shortcut it to say we are somehow against Islam, that was one of the real contributions, despite all the other problems, that George W. Bush made after 9/11 when he basically said after going to a Mosque in Washington, we are not at war with Islam or Muslims.
We are at war with violent extremism. We are at war with people who use their religion for purposes of power and oppression. And, yes, we are at war with those people. But I don’t want us to be painting with too broad a brush.
Of course this is just Radical Islam denialism - does Ms. Clinton, or anyone else, think there are Hindu jihadists or Christian jihadists? Buddhist jihadists? Atheist or agnostic jihadists?
Other Clinton excerpts from the debate:
CLINTON: Well, our prayers are with the people of France tonight, but that is not enough. We need to have a resolve that will bring the world together to root out the kind of radical jihadist ideology that motivates organizations like ISIS, a barbaric, ruthless, violent jihadist terrorist group.
Later:
I have said the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. But I think if we’re ever going to really tackle the problems posed by jihadi extreme terrorism, we need to understand it and realize that it has antecedents to what happened in Iraq and we have to continue to be vigilant about it.
Hmm, so now we need to understand "jihadi extreme terrorism". Just let's not call it "radical Islam".
I do agree that in particular, Turkey and the Gulf nations have got to make up their minds. Are they going to stand with us against this kind of jihadi radicalism or not?
This Orwellian notion that 'radical jihadism' is fine but "radical Islam" will alienate the world is probably going to be a tough sell to the great unwashed in this country. Especially when both Hillary and the DNC are relying on that progressive darling George Bush, who did in fact, praise Allah, use the dread "radical Islam" phrase in a 2006 State of the Union address:
No one can deny the success of freedom, but some men rage and fight against it. And one of the main sources of reaction and opposition is radical Islam; the perversion by a few of a noble faith into an ideology of terror and death. Terrorists like bin Laden are serious about mass murder and all of us must take their declared intentions seriously. They seek to impose a heartless system of totalitarian control throughout the Middle East and arm themselves with weapons of mass murder.
But, Tea Party Extremists want the government off their backs!
These reprobates clean up after themselves!!!!
Internment camps for the lot of them!!!
(Unreleased email from Hilligula to Cummings).
Posted by: henry | November 22, 2015 at 11:49 AM
How many inches of Global Warming did you get, Henry?
Posted by: Jack is Back! (On Alert!) | November 22, 2015 at 12:05 PM
JiB, just shoveled 6-7" off my deck and walkways. The single digit overnight temps were more annoying.
Posted by: henry | November 22, 2015 at 12:11 PM
Today at the 1015 mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC, Frederick was asked to help with the collection. Quite the honor for a 12 year old. He also met Cardinal Dolan during the recessional for the 4th time.
Posted by: Jack is Back! (On Alert!) | November 22, 2015 at 12:11 PM
Thank you, TM, for unmasking Hillary!'s uncanny ability to have three opinions on one subject and no solution to anything.
Thank goodness, there are no radical JOMers (Shhhh! that we can reveal at present.)
Posted by: Frau Zauberlehrling | November 22, 2015 at 12:13 PM
Hillary seems to have missed the memo: The preferred term is "Daesh," with ISIL being an acceptable alternative. Only Rethuglicans use ISIS.
Posted by: jimmyk | November 22, 2015 at 12:43 PM
kudos Frederick
Posted by: Buckeye | November 22, 2015 at 12:59 PM
Happy belated birthday, Doktor Jot! It sounds like festivities of all kinds are breaking out up your way. What a grand Thanksgiving you will have.
It was *not* hit's fault that we forgot our wedding anniversary, and it was not due to any noticeable mental disability. Our 59th was on the 14th and Paris upstaged it. We do have our reserve anniversary on 1 December which this year can be called the Old 118th. This shows how convenient it is to have both a civil and a church wedding.
Posted by: Frau Hochzeitstag | November 22, 2015 at 01:02 PM
Frederick serves wherever he goes.
Posted by: Frau Hochzeitstag | November 22, 2015 at 01:20 PM
Who cares what this dumb bitch says?
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | November 22, 2015 at 01:26 PM
daddy's comment -
"Interesting point by Tammy Bruce on Hannity, following this clip of Obama's idiotic comments at APEC in Manila (where BTW Security was unbelievable due to the Philippino Abu Sayef)
Obama: ISIL does not represent Islam...To the degree that anyone would equate uhhh, the terrible actions that took place in Paris with the views of Islam, uhhh uhhh those kinds of stereotypes are counter-productive. They're wrong. They will lead, I think, to greater recruitment in the Terrorist Organizations over time if this becomes somehow defined as a Muslim problem, as opposed to a Terrorist problem.
>Host David Webb: Tammy, You talk about a paradox between Obama and the Democrats.
Tammy Bruce: Yeah, It's really curious. On one hand what they're saying, is that Muslims are not Muslims if they're engaging in Terrorism, but that they're all potential Terrorists if we do something that offends them. So you have this mixture of a problem here. In other words, that if whats happening has nothing to do with islam but if we do offend them, then Muslims will join the cause. You can't have it both ways. I'm not quite sure what they're trying to accomplish here. And I think that most people recognize that there's something amiss in that framework. And of course in not dealing with the reality of what Islam is, and the nature of how it's connected with what's happening with ISIS, if we're really going to deal with this kind of a movement, you've got to deal with it's adherents, with the nature of the choices they're making, and with the ideology itself. " ~ daddy
Posted by: Janet | November 22, 2015 at 01:26 PM
Not you, Frau!
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | November 22, 2015 at 01:27 PM
Yeah, Janet, there is a schism there that reeks of psychotic break. There is a growing chasm between Obama and reality.
Posted by: Not just Obama. | November 22, 2015 at 01:29 PM
Heh, I'm referring to 'there is something amiss in that framework'.
Posted by: per TB. | November 22, 2015 at 01:31 PM
From my cousin:
THE PERFECT DAY – January 20, 2017
1. President Marco Rubio and Vice President Carly Fiorina are sworn into office.
2. In a rare event on inauguration day, Congress convenes for an emergency meeting to repeal the illegal and unconstitutional Socialist healthcare farce known as Obamacare. The new Director of Health and Social Services, Dr. Ben Carson announces that an independent group of healthcare management professionals is hired to handle healthcare services for poor and low income people. They are also assigned the duty of eliminating Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Government’s costs for public healthcare are reduced by 90%. Healthcare insurance premiums for working Americans are reduced by 50%. The move saves billions of taxpayer paid dollars. Healthcare service in the U.S improves 100%.
3. Newly appointed department of Homeland Security Chief Donald Trump announces the immediate deployment of Troops to the U.S. Mexico border to control illegal immigration and the immediate deportation of illegals with criminal records or links to terrorist groups. New bio-encrypted Social Security ID’s are required by every American citizen. Birthright is abolished. All immigration from countries that represent a threat to the safety of American citizens is terminated indefinitely. The move saves American taxpayers billions of dollars. Several prisons are closed.
4. Newly appointed Secretary of Business and Economic Development Ted Cruz eliminates more than half of the Government agencies operating under the Obama administration saving taxpayers billions of dollars. Stocks rise 100%.
5. Newly appointed Director of Government Finance Rand Paul announces the abolition of the IRS and displays a copy of the new Federal Tax Return form. It consists of one page. The instructions consist of two pages. The Federal Reserve is audited. The move saves American taxpayers billions of dollars and increases tax revenue.
6. Hillary Clinton is in jail, where she belongs. Her cell is directly across from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton who are serving time for ‘Hate Crimes." She bitches at them constantly from behind the bars of her cell in what some might call cruel and unusual punishment.
7. Bernie Sanders is in the nuthouse, where he belongs. His room is directly across from Nancy Pelosi, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Chris Matthews and Al Franken. They meet for tea every day at ten and discuss the success and benefits of Communism and Socialism throughout the world. They also wonder when the “Mothership” is going to pick them up and return them to their home planets.
8. Windows 12 is released. It is designed for humans, doesn’t try to satisfy the needs of every person on the planet, doesn’t require a degree in nuclear physics to operate and looks just like Windows 7 except it is easier to use.
9. Barack Obama flees the United States under cover of darkness and returns to his homeland of Kenya before his trial for treason begins. He deplanes on a remote jungle airstrip. It was reported that he was last seen wandering through the jungle singing “Hakuna Matata” with a chimp named Commie.
10. Oscar Meyer announces the introduction of a new cholesterol and fat free pepperoni that tastes just like regular pepperoni.
11. Not to be outdone, Kraft Foods announces the introduction of several varieties of cholesterol and fat free cheeses that taste just like regular cheese.
12. A committee is not established to determine what is causing global cooling. Billions of taxpayer dollars are saved.
13. Jennifer Anniston calls me, crying. She tells me it was a big mistake dumping me back in 2000 and begs me to take her back. I decline, explaining that I am happily married. She is devastated and cries for days. Justice is served.
14. Dead people are no longer allowed to vote in Chicago, a huge blow for the Democrat Party in the State of Illinois.
15. I receive a call from an attorney in Ireland. He explains that I have inherited a brewery and coastal estate in Ireland from a distant relative and that I need to be in Dublin as soon as possible to sign the papers. Ten hours later we tour our new vacation home. There is a red Ferrari in the garage, also part of the inheritance.
And this my friends constitutes THE PERFECT DAY!!!!!!
Just 426 days left until Obama’s term expires.
Posted by: Jane | November 22, 2015 at 01:55 PM
I think Beasts wrote that.
Posted by: Jane | November 22, 2015 at 02:14 PM
"But we still can’t close our eyes to the fact that there is a distorted and dangerous stream of extremism within the Muslim world that continues to spread. Its adherents are relatively few in number, but capable of causing profound damage."
Replace "Muslim world" with "Democrat Party" and this describes progressives.
Posted by: Buford Gooch | November 22, 2015 at 02:15 PM
lol, Jane - but I'm more of an Angelina Jolie guy...
Posted by: Beasts of England | November 22, 2015 at 03:14 PM
10. Oscar Meyer announces the introduction of a new cholesterol and fat free pepperoni that tastes just like regular pepperoni.
Obviously not a JOMer, or he would know that fat and cholesterol are good for you.
Posted by: jimmyk | November 22, 2015 at 03:16 PM
"We need to have a resolve that will bring the world together to root out the kind of radical jihadist ideology that motivates organizations like ISIS, a barbaric, ruthless, violent jihadist terrorist group." [Emphasis mine.]
And what might that ideology be? The cognitive pretzel here is truly stunning.
Posted by: JMHanes | November 22, 2015 at 03:52 PM
And what might that ideology be? The cognitive pretzel here is truly stunning.
Yep.
Posted by: daddy | November 22, 2015 at 06:47 PM
If you're not allowed to speak clearly about radical Islam, you can't think clearly about radical Islam. And if you can't think clearly about it, you can't defeat it.
The Proof: the last seven years.
Posted by: Abbott N. Costello | November 23, 2015 at 05:07 PM