{"id":33994,"date":"2017-02-25T12:46:56","date_gmt":"2017-02-25T20:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=33994"},"modified":"2017-02-25T12:49:32","modified_gmt":"2017-02-25T20:49:32","slug":"trumps-new-national-security-advisor-rejects-his-radical-islamic-terrorism-hogwash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=33994","title":{"rendered":"Trump’s New National Security Advisor Rejects His ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’ Hogwash"},"content":{"rendered":"

For most of the Obama administration, conservative pundits and politicians sang a common refrain to castigate his anti-terrorism efforts. They offered little of substance to alter or improve the situation, but they were convinced of one thing. Just saying “radical Islamic terrorism”<\/em> would send the enemy scurrying away forever. They regarded it as a magic incantation that would result in a glorious victory. {See The Reverse Beetlejuice Doctrine<\/a><\/strong>). Never mind that most experts rejected such rhetoric as counterproductive. They knew that it would alienate the Muslims who are critical to any successful fight against terrorism.<\/p>\n

\"McMaster
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Among the chorus of wingnuts was our now-President, Donald Trump. Throughout his campaign he employed the mindless chant. He used it this week in his speech to CPAC. “We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country,”<\/em> he ranted. True to form, he never explained how he would do that.<\/p>\n

One of Trump’s first appointees was Gen. Michael Flynn as the National Security Advisor. Flynn lasted all of 24 days in the job. He was fired by Trump<\/a><\/strong> after news broke that he had inappropriate discussions with Russian agents during the campaign. Making matters worse is that reports reveal that Trump knew about Flynn’s activities but still made him the fall guy.<\/p>\n

After a couple of respected national security experts declined Trump’s offer to replace Flynn, Trump got Gen. H.R. McMaster to accept the position. McMaster is considered to be a warrior-scholar with an independent streak. And he’s already displaying a profound measure of independence. According to the New York Times<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

“President Trump\u2019s newly appointed national security adviser has told his staff that Muslims who commit terrorist acts are perverting their religion, rejecting a key ideological view of other senior Trump advisers and signaling a potentially more moderate approach to the Islamic world.”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

McMaster, reportedly told his new staff that the label \u201cradical Islamic terrorism\u201d<\/em> was not helpful because terrorists are \u201cun-Islamic,\u201d<\/em> That’s a direct repudiation of the position of Trump and senior aides such as Stephen Bannon. Not to mention virtually every Republican in Congress. The only question is whether Trump will respect the advice of a bona fide expert, or rely on partisan political hacks and propagandists. If the past is any indication, Trump is not going to be easily persuaded. Last year he tweeted:<\/p>\n

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Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism? If he doesn't he should immediately resign in disgrace!<\/p>\n

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n