US Military teaches 'Total War on Islam' Course

[Yohan]

America's top military officer has condemned a course taught about Islam at one of America's top military schools as "totally objectionable".

The course taught officers there was no such thing as moderate Islam and that they should consider the religion their enemy. It advocated "total war" against all the world's Muslims, including possible nuclear attacks on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and the wiping out civilian populations. The Pentagon has confirmed the course material found on their website is authentic.

As far as I can see this is not intended in any sense as a rather sick academic exercise in stretching the bounds of what could be thought. It is actually what the officer teaching it believes. In other words: completely nutty stuff that would disgrace the wilder fringes of the blogosphere. So, not surprisingly, Gen Dempsey has ordered a full investigation into what other US military schools might be teaching about the religion. The voluntary course aimed at senior officers was taught at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, for a year.

Gen Dempsey described the course as "counter to our values of appreciation for religious freedom and cultural awareness" and "just objectionable, academically irresponsible". It came to light when one of the officers on the course complained last month. There is now an investigation into how the course was approved and why it was part of the curriculum.

A lieutenant colonel has been suspended from teaching, but for the moment keeps his job. The Pentagon hopes a full report will be out by the end of the month. What does seem rather surprising is that all those commanders, captains and colonels must have sat through the course and not felt the need to tell someone that something rather weird was going on.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18030105

[Wootah]

I wonder what was in the course. Probably just facts

[enceladus]

Yep, I saw the news article about this.

The guy teaching the course was absolutely correct in saying that "there is no such thing as "moderate Islam" ". No less a person than the PM of Turkey has said those exact words -
"there is no moderate Islam. There is only Islam."

He was also correct in saying that Islam (not just Islamic terrorists) is the enemy.

As for his suggested measures to fight Islam - I very much hope that they are not needed.
However, I have no doubt that fighting (in the streets) will be needed in order to defeat Islam. Educating Muslims only reaches a fraction of them, and is very slow.
- enceladus

[ringmaster]

Yep, I saw the news article about this.

The guy teaching the course was absolutely correct in saying that "there is no such thing as "moderate Islam" ". No less a person than the PM of Turkey has said those exact words -
"there is no moderate Islam. There is only Islam."

He was also correct in saying that Islam (not just Islamic terrorists) is the enemy.

As for his suggested measures to fight Islam - I very much hope that they are not needed.
However, I have no doubt that fighting (in the streets) will be needed in order to defeat Islam. Educating Muslims only reaches a fraction of them, and is very slow.
- enceladus

Throughout history, even in peace time, countries have had war plans departments. It's nothing new. Any conceivable eventuality should be planned for.

[Anton Krammar]

If I were in charge of that course I would include a chapter on "tageting errors", with the errors being Mecca and Medina. It would be a beautiful sight seing a whole bunch Allah lovers chanting and shaking their fists in the air on CNN.