The diversity of our force is one of its greatest strengths

Soldiers of Allah Or of America: Does Military Know — Or Care?

By PAUL SPERRY
Posted 12/15/2009 07:11 PM ET

IBD Special Series: Jihadist 5th Column:
Part 1 http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysi ... ?id=515413
Part 2 http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysi ... ?id=515484
Part 3 http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysi ... ?id=515712

The Pentagon has launched a 45-day probe into the Fort Hood massacre, promising to find answers to why it happened and how it can be prevented from happening again. But the investigation may prove an exercise in futility, judging from PC remarks by military brass.

"My message to all those in uniform — including Muslims in uniform — is how much we appreciate their service. The diversity of our force is one of its greatest strengths," said the Joint Chiefs chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, who appeared alongside the defense secretary to announce the inquiry, which reports say will focus on mental health services for troubled troops.

His remarks echoed those of the Army chief of staff, Gen. George Casey, who after the Nov. 5 attack cautioned against linking Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's alleged terrorist act and his Islamic faith. "It would be an even greater tragedy if our diversity becomes a casualty here," Casey intoned.

Military brass appear to be doubling down on the political correctness that blinded them to warning signs telegraphed by the Quran-waving Muslim officer accused of the worst mass killing on a domestic military base in U.S. history and the bloodiest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.

The breakdown in security stems from "fears over offending a member of a religious minority," finds a report by the Westminster Institute, a security think tank. So worried about conveying any notion that it's at war with Islam, the Defense Department has deluded itself into believing that the enemy is bereft of religious motivation.

Though the enemy clearly states that it's waging "jihad," or holy war, against us, it's now taboo to use the term because it risks reinforcing the idea that the U.S. is at war with Islam itself.

"We are not at war with jihad," a high-ranking Pentagon official said at a recent conference. "Jihad is a legitimate component of Islam" — no worse than fasting or bowing to Mecca.

Even defining the enemy as "jihadist" is no longer acceptable, leaving GIs to fight an enemy their own commanders refuse to name. The 2009 U.S. National Intelligence Strategy, which takes into account Pentagon priorities, uses the term Islam zero times, Muslim 0, jihad 0 and jihadist 0.

In sharp contrast, the 9/11 Commission Report, released in 2004, used the word Islam 322 times, Muslim 145, jihad 126 and jihadist 32. It took five short years to completely whitewash the Islamist threat. Any wonder Hasan was treated with kid gloves?

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