Jason Criss Howk conducted defense, intelligence, diplomatic, and education missions for the U.S. Government focusing on Afghanistan and Muslim cultures for 23 years. He now teaches, writes, and speaks nationally to decrease anti-religious bigotry. He shares a variety of information on Twitter @jason_c_howk and at dispatchesFromPinehurst.com. His award-winning book is The Qur’an: A Chronological Modern English Interpretation. Divergent Options’ content does not contain information of an official nature nor does the content represent the official position of any government, any organization, or any group.
Title: Assessment of the Trump Administration’s Communications with the “Muslim World”
Date Originally Written: December 10, 2017.
Date Originally Published: December 18, 2017.
Summary: Fear of Muslims is irrational. Prohibiting a discussion of Islam’s relationship to modern terrorist groups is too. The continuing success of terror recruiting reveals their ideology is a center of gravity, but you cannot shoot an ideology. You have to expose its flaws and turn people against it. One must use the correct terminology when you speak or it empowers terrorists. This is where the Trump Administration has taken 3-steps forward but 1-step back.
Text: Fear of Muslims is irrational. Prohibiting a discussion of Islam’s relationship to modern terrorism is too. President George W. Bush took America into a War on Terrorism[1], President Barack Obama shifted to countering violent extremism[2]. Both stated correctly that America was not at war with Islam. While acknowledging the importance of countering a terrorist’s ideology[3], neither slowed the spread of violent radical Islamist or khawarij ideologies used to recruit. Not talking about Islam and its relationship to terrorism has likely contributed to increasing bigotry against Muslims and damaged America’s ability to decrease recruiting.
The number of nations plagued by terrorists has increased, despite America’s excellence at hunting terrorists. The continuing success of recruiting hints that their ideology is the likely center of gravity. You cannot shoot or “drone”[4] an ideology. You have to understand it, expose its flaws, argue about it, and turn people against it thus ensuring the world understands that violent radical Islamism (separate from the religion of Islam) is a failed political ideology causing death and destruction is critical.
Incorrect terminology further empowers mankind’s enemy. Here the Trump Administration has improved since the campaign yet occasionally stumbles. President Trump should listen to his advisors that have operated in the “Muslim World,” listen to solid Muslim allies, and only use precise language that helps Muslims to separate violent radicals from society. President Trump loses ground when he echoes false experts or bigots that push him to use “alpha-male” language that sounds tough, but makes it more difficult for Muslims to stanch the bloodshed.
Not all terrorists are Muslim and not all Muslims are terrorists; only ignorant people believe otherwise. So, put the straw-man argument aside that says explaining the role of Islam in modern terrorist propaganda will cause anti-Muslim hatred. The majority of the deadliest terrorists think they are the most pious Muslims in the world. Their first murder victims were likely Muslims that they deemed “not Muslim enough for them;” (an old khawarij concept). Most terrorism victims since 2001 were Muslim. It’s illogical not talk about Islam in relation to modern terrorism.
I have spent almost three years leading talks about the religion of Islam, the political ideology of Islamism, and the khawarij or “violent radical Islamist” ideology used by terrorists. A few things were made clear to me–often angrily. First, the American people never felt Bush or Obama understood the enemy. Second, they felt that neither was able to explain a logical strategy for victory. Finally, audiences felt the Presidents failed them by not talking about how Islam, Islamism, and terrorist ideologies are connected and disconnected. Americans felt the Presidents believed their citizens were too stupid to have a discussion about Islam.
Instead of civilly talking about Islam and how terrorists can use some parts of the Qur’an to attract fighters to their cause, previous presidents presented straw-man arguments about why they should or would not discuss Islam. At my discussions, it takes 45 minutes for people who have never studied Islam to grasp this entire concept. After Bush and Obama, a third president cannot underestimate the intelligence and curiosity of the American people.
If the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia can talk about extreme interpretations of Islam[5] and its relationship to many terrorist groups, and the King of Jordan can succinctly label our enemy as Khawarij[6] using terminology from Islam’s history, the American President can have a straightforward conversation about the topic.
America’s terminology should not drive a wedge between the U.S. and our Muslim allies. Our language should help Muslims drive a wedge between the khawarij butchers and possible recruits and supporters of this deadly cause.
America can’t use words that help our enemy by complementing murderers or lumping them in with hundreds of millions of peaceful Muslims.
Violent radical Islamists want to be called mujahedeen, jihadis, and Muslims. The word jihad in the Qur’an means to struggle or strive nobly with all your person and wealth in the way of God. A parallel in Catholicism is the system of sainthood. Only the most selfless Catholics following God’s path to help others are sainted. Similarly, in a religious sense, only the best among Muslims should be called mujahedeen (jihadis) which means someone who has performed true jihad. The word is only used about 14 times in the Qur’an and should be returned to its religious context and taken away from butchers and human rights abusers. You can’t make jihad into a negative term in a religious sense; so, don’t use it at all.
Instead, insult and brand these violent radical Islamists. Use the term butcher, murderer, terrorist, khawarij, violent Islamist, loser, Islamist ideologue, distorter or corruptor of Islam, people ignorant of the Qur’an, disgraces, or betrayers of God.
Don’t call violent radical Islamists Muslims or use any negative modifiers in front of the word Islam or Muslim. These corruptors have left Islam and should be a disgrace to their families. “Islam” and “Muslims” are both positive words in the Islamic world. Attaching “Radical” to it is often viewed to mean the entire religion or all Muslims are radical and therefore evil.
Every generation of violent radical Islamist butchers seems to form faster, become more radicalized, kill more gruesomely, and think they are more pious. The world must stop this trend.
President Trump (obviously not an Islamic scholar) has asked his team and America’s allies to talk clearly about extreme interpretations of the Qur’an and the ideology used by our enemies. His Riyadh speech[7] was pointed, and by mostly using correct terminology, supported a change[8] that is already underway[9] in the Muslim world. Start this same discussion in America and ensure that violent radical Islamists and the people who sponsor and provide top-cover for the modern-day Khawarij are exposed and shut down. Help decrease bigotry towards Muslims.
The world should applaud organizations like this Kuwaiti business[10] that honestly confronted those who purposely misinterpret the Qur’an to justify murder. All governments should be this brave and clear.
Education won’t end terrorism, but it will impact the long-term fight against Islamist inspired terrorists. No problem ever improved by refusing to fully examine it and honestly talk about it.
Endnotes:
[1] U.S. Government (2003, February) National Strategy for Combatting Terrorism, retrieved December 11, 2017, https://www.cia.gov/news-information/cia-the-war-on-terrorism/Counter_Terrorism_Strategy.pdf
[2] U.S. Government (2011, June) National Strategy for Counterterrorism, retrieved December 11, 2017, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/counterterrorism_strategy.pdf
[3] U.S. Government (2006, September) National Strategy for Combatting Terrorism, retrieved December 11, 2017, https://fas.org/irp/threat/nsct2006.pdf
[4] Friedersdorf, Conor (2016, December 23) Obama’s Weak Defense of His Record on Drone Killings, retrieved December 11, 2017 https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/12/president-obamas-weak-defense-of-his-record-on-drone-strikes/511454/
[5] Chulov, Martin (2017, October 24) I will return Saudi Arabia to moderate Islam, says crown prince, retrieved December 11, 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/24/i-will-return-saudi-arabia-moderate-islam-crown-prince
[6] Jordan Times (2015, June 11) Nothing treats Islam with more contempt than Khawarij actions — King, retrieved December 11, 2017 http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/nothing-treats-islam-more-contempt-khawarij-actions-—-king
[7] U.S. Government (2017, May) President Trump’s Speech in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, retrieved December 11, 2017 https://dispatchesfrompinehurst.com/2017/05/22/howks-notes-of-president-trumps-speech-in-saudi-arabia/
[8] Bergen, Peter (2017 September 27) Saudi women driving a sign bigger change is coming, retrieved December 11, 2017 http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/27/opinions/symbolism-of-saudi-women-driving/index.html
[9] IRNA, (2017 October 29) Iranian woman appointed first ever no. 2 at Oil Ministry, retrieved December 11, 2017 http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82712122
[10] Zain Mobile (2017 May 26) Anti-Terrorism Video for Ramadan 2017, retrieved December 11, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49nOBFv508