Well-funded organizations inciting us to hate & fear, again. How gullible are we?

Summary: Today we examine yet another example of agitprop by well-funded organizations inciting hatred of Muslims in America.  Will we fall for this, again? A divided and fearful people are an easily led flock, a gift to their rulers. Please push back against this propaganda, and those that believe it. Being sheep is a choice.

” διαίρει καὶ βασίλευ”
— Greek for “divide and rule”

“I have in my hand 57 cases of individuals who….”
— Speeches given by Senator McCarthy on 9 February 1950. He never released the names.

“Mr. President, if that’s what you want there is only one way to get it.  That is to make a personal appearance before Congress and scare the hell out of the country.”

— Senator Arthur Vandenberg’s advice to Truman about starting the Cold War.  On 12 March 1947 Truman did so.  From Put yourself in Marshall’s place, James P. Warburg (1948); in 1941 Warburg helped develop our wartime propaganda programs.

(1)  A case study of our Failure to Learn

A cardinal sign of Failure to Learn is repeatedly falling for the same con. It’s a common weakness. Grifters exchange sucker lists, because falling for a con makes one a good prospect for another con.

How sad is for an entire nation to do this?  The consequences of the 1950’s red baiting were horrific for America (including damage to the State Department, which unbalanced our national security establishment, contributing to the Vietnam War).  How stupid must we be to fall again for fear-mongering to divide and control us?

On the other hand, our leaders have seen and exploited this weakness. As have right-wing agitators. This shows that pockets of insight and political skill remain in America.

Today’s example of our folly, a story that’s been ricocheting all year around right-wing circles (including communities of military, security, and intelligence personnel): “Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrates Obama Administration“, Investors.com (blog of Investors Business Daily), 5 December 2013

The radical Muslim Brotherhood is often dismissed in the media as a distant threat. In fact, this sworn U.S. enemy isn’t just overseas. It’s inside the gates of the White House.

At least six American Islamist activists who work closely with the Obama administration are Muslim Brotherhood operatives who enjoy strong influence over U.S. policy, according to the Investigative Project on Terrorism {IPT} and the Center for Security Policy {CSP}  in Washington.

… Also know that, despite media dismissals of the Brotherhood as a “benign” group, it is in fact the parent group of al-Qaida and played a role in the 9/11 plot. The hijackers got support from several Muslim Brotherhood mosques across the country and were handled by a key Brotherhood leader in America — the CIA-droned cleric Anwar Awlaki, now thought to be the U.S. field commander of the operation.

Let’s start with Mohamed Elibiary, a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council who has met with national security staff inside the White House. He raises perhaps the most alarms.

Most of this is exaggerated or questionable, at best. Let’s examine the key points.

(a)  The flimsy basis of the story

This is classic agitprop. A flimsy story in a third world magazine. Repeated by a US advocacy group. Others cite their report, ignoring the dubious source. See “Report: Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrated Obama Admin“,  Elad Benari and Arutz Sheva, Investigative Project on Terrorism, 9 January 2013 — Excerpt:

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An Egyptian magazine has claimed that six American Islamist activists who work with the Obama administration are Muslim Brotherhood operatives who enjoy strong influence over U.S. policy.

The December 22 story was published in Egypt’s Rose El-Youssef magazine and was translated into English for the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT). The story suggests the six turned the White House “from a position hostile to Islamic groups and organizations in the world to the largest and most important supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

The story is largely unsourced, but its publication is considered significant in raising the issue to Egyptian readers, IPT said.

(b)  Do they “work closely with the Obama administration” and “enjoy strong influence over U.S. policy”?

They start with Mohamed Elibiary, who “raises perhaps the most alarms.” His IPT bio says that he visited the White House only twice, and serves as one of the 28 members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council — one of thousands of such advisory groups in the US government, few (perhaps none) are policy powerhouses.

The IPT bio gives no evidence for these claims. The IPT bio makes no such claim.

(c)  Are they “Muslim Brotherhood operatives”?

Even the IPT bio makes no such claim about Elibiary. Nor does The Center for Security Policy, which has several articles with heated innuendos about him.

(d)  Is the Muslim Brotherhood the “parent” of al Qaeda?

Not in any meaningful sense. See the history of al Qaeda in the 9-11 Commission report (pp 55-59) for details, which puts its origin in the Afghanistan War.

(e)  What about the relationship of the Muslim Brotherhood and 9-11?

The 9-11 Commission found no such links. Also, what is a “Muslim Brotherhood mosque”? They don’t say.

This is much like the still-repeated myth about Saddam’s role in 9-11.

(f)  What about “Anwar Awlaki, now thought to be the U.S. field commander of the {9-11} operation”>

Another story with no visible support. They don’t say who “thought” he was a field commander. Since we assassinated him, they can lie about him without fear of libel.

(2)  For more Information

(a)  About the clash of civilizations:

1. How I learned to stop worrying and love 4GW. We can win at this game., 18 September 2013
2. We are the attackers in the Clash of Civilizations. We’re winning., 23 September 2013
3. Handicapping the clash of civilizations: bet on America to win, 24 September 2013

(b)  Posts about the Long War in the Homeland:

1. Are islamic extremists like the anarchists?, 14 December 2009
2. Hatred and fear of Islam & Moslems is understandable. But are there hidden forces at work?, 3 August 2010
3. Should we fear that religion whose believers have killed so many people?, 4 August 2010
4. Which is more characteristic of America today?, 28 February 2012 — Sharia, or hatred of Islam?
5. Fighting America’s dark side. Fighting against those seeking to divide and weaken us., 12 August 2012

(c)  Posts about the Long War in the world

1. The Fight for Islamic Hearts and Minds, 20 February 2012
2. A look at al Qaeda, the long war — and us, 7 August 2013
3. How I learned to stop worrying and love Fourth Generation War. We can win at this game., 18 September 2013

(c)  Posts about Islam:

1. Hard (and disturbing) information about schools in Pakistan – the madāris, 1 May 2011
2. The Fight for Islamic Hearts and Minds, 20 February 2012

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