It is not surprising. The story, first broken by Wired, is fairly astonishing, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, must be furious.
The voluntary course aimed at senior officers was taught at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, for a year. It was stopped last month after one student complained.
Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 the conservative U.S. media and politicians began a campaign that portrayed Muslims as enemies of America and its values. Never mind that most of the attacks carried out by this extremely small minority had targeted other Muslims.
Media outlets like Fox News and conservative radio presenter Rush Limbaugh led the charge and given the influence they hold and the fractured nature of America's politics they were able to influence the mainstream political narrative thus pushing it further to the right.
So, why then should any one be surprised that such a course was offered?
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 voluntary course aimed at senior officers was taught at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, for a year. It was stopped last month after one student complained.
Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 the conservative U.S. media and politicians began a campaign that portrayed Muslims as enemies of America and its values. Never mind that most of the attacks carried out by this extremely small minority had targeted other Muslims.
Media outlets like Fox News and conservative radio presenter Rush Limbaugh led the charge and given the influence they hold and the fractured nature of America's politics they were able to influence the mainstream political narrative thus pushing it further to the right.
So, why then should any one be surprised that such a course was offered?
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