Pentagon Board Report: "US 'alienating' world's Muslims"

Forums: Politics
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Interesting story in from the BBC. I will look around for more detail on this one - meanwhile:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4040543.stm

Note - the report is from "the Defence Science Board (which) is made of civilian experts appointed by the Pentagon, and offers the department advice on scientific, technical and other issues....." not

US 'alienating' world's Muslims

America's Muslims have come under pressure since the 9/11 attacks
The US is losing "the war of ideas" in the Islamic world, a Pentagon advisory panel has warned.
A report by the Defence Science Board says America's public talks of bringing democracy to Muslim nations is seen as "self-serving hypocrisy".

It says if the US wants Muslims to move towards its understanding of tolerance, it must reassure them this does not mean submitting to "the American way".

The report urges Washington to change its approach urgently.

In the eyes of Muslims, American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has not led to democracy there, but only more chaos and suffering

The Defence Science Board's report

However, it says that improving public relations is not enough.

"Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies," the report says.

"The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favour of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the long-standing, even increasing, support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the Gulf states.

"Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy," the report says.

It adds that the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has actually raised the stature of radical enemies of America.

"US actions appear... to be motivated by ulterior motives, and deliberately controlled in order to best serve American national interests at the expense of truly Muslim self-determination," the report says.

'Information campaign'

It describes US public diplomacy as being in crisis and urges the creation of a strategic communications apparatus within the White House.

"The information campaign - or as some still would have it, 'the war of ideas' or the struggle for 'hearts and minds' - is important to every war effort," the report says, referring to the US-led war on terror.

The BBC's Nick Childs at the Pentagon says the report may not be official policy, but it does highlight many concerns in official circles in Washington about how the US government can communicate its messages abroad.

The Defence Science Board is made of civilian experts appointed by the Pentagon, and offers the department advice on scientific, technical and other issues.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 0 • Views: 9,567 • Replies: 201

No top replies

This seems so very obvious to me and to so many people with whom I talk. I simply cannot understand why the majority of Americans don't understand the harm we are doing to ourselves.

In one sense it doesn't even matter whether our administration is "sincere" or "self-serving" (although my vote goes with the latter): the most crucial thing is that what we are doing is harming rather than helping us.

Not to mention the harm we are doing to the people in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It'll be interesting to see whether this report gets any media coverage at all in the US.

0 Replies

I seem to have read that report a week or two ago.
All I can say is that Bush should have been given that report or one similar to it before he decided to invade Iraq.
The damage has been done and we will reap the whirlwind.

0 Replies

Bush was warned of the likelihood of this happening by the Pentagon. My source is comments made off the record at a conference on military ethics (at which there is a non-attribution policy).

And the odds of this happening was widely discussed in the media prior to our going into Iraq.

0 Replies

I wonder why the perception isn't the opposite...How MUSLIMS are alienating AMERICANS!!

To date, we have found that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all the terrorists are Muslims.

As of yet, I have not heard too many high ranking Muslim leaders condem the attrocities committed against Americans as well as atrocities committed against their own people.

0 Replies

woiyo wrote:

To date, we have found that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all the terrorists are Muslims.

corrected woiyo wrote:

To date, we have found that not all Muslims are Muslim terrorists, but all the Muslim terrorists are Muslims.

I have corrected your statement.

Quote:

As of yet, I have not heard too many high ranking Muslim leaders condem the attrocities committed against Americans as well as atrocities committed against their own people.

Which is the muslims fault, how? I remember this being alledged before, and refuted. Some high ranking muslim leaders have condemned the attacks, but this is so obvious it doesn't make the news.

0 Replies

I think they published it at the same time as Rev. Fallwell's statement on the treatment of prisoners and the Catholic Bishop's news release regarding their stance opposing the invasion.

0 Replies

Ah Einherjar, good on ya.

I am currently too weary to attempt to refute with reason the tide of bigoted crap that sometimes washes into such threads.

0 Replies

Quote:

Pentagon Board Report: "US 'alienating' world's Muslims"

Sounds like a step in the right direction; I mean, APPEASING them never accomplished anything, other than 9-11...

0 Replies

Apparently, some do not know the meaning of bigotry and feel it is more important for the US to understand WHY the Muslim are "mad at us" rather than defending this nation from the real bigots, THE MUSLIM EXTREMEISTS.

0 Replies

It is good to know the motivations of your enemies, no?

0 Replies

It would be good for all (not just America, but let's include Western Europe as well) to know that the value system/moral code of many Muslims is incompatible with the basic convictions of Western civilization, period.

Just ask Holland.

0 Replies

Quote:

It would be good for all (not just America, but let's include Western Europe as well) to know that the value system/moral code of many Muslims is incompatible with the basic convictions of Western civilization, period.

Just ask Holland.

No, it isn't. But this is the type of thing said by those who don't want it to be, for sure...

Cycloptichorn

0 Replies

Not if it includes murdering a man for criticizing their treatment of women. That value system will always be incompatible.

0 Replies

Quote:

Not if it includes murdering a man for criticizing their treatment of women. That value system will always be incompatible.

There are crazies and radicals everywhere, that doesn't mean the ENTIRE SOCIETY is that way.

Would you really want Americans judged by our extremists?

Cycloptichorn

0 Replies

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Quote:
Not if it includes murdering a man for criticizing their treatment of women. That value system will always be incompatible.

There are crazies and radicals everywhere, that doesn't mean the ENTIRE SOCIETY is that way.

Tell that to the mother in Breslin who had to choose which child to take with her, and which child to leave behind.

0 Replies

I knew the dead child trump card was coming.

0 Replies

Quote:

Tell that to the mother in Breslin who had to choose which child to take with her, and which child to leave behind.

Tell that to the people in Iraq whose entire families are dead because of US extremists.... they don't even have the luxury of your 'choice'.....

Cycloptichorn

0 Replies

JustWonders wrote:

It would be good for all (not just America, but let's include Western Europe as well) to know that the value system/moral code of many Muslims is incompatible with the basic convictions of Western civilization, period.

Frankly, the value system/moral code of many Christian fundamentalists is incompatible with the basic convictions of Western civilization.

0 Replies

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Quote:
Tell that to the mother in Breslin who had to choose which child to take with her, and which child to leave behind.

Tell that to the people in Iraq whose entire families are dead because of US extremists.... they don't even have the luxury of your 'choice'.....

Cycloptichorn

To which "US extremists" are you referring?

0 Replies

Pentagon Board Report: "US 'alienating' world's Muslims"

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know