The Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, is being widely criticized for his inaccurate comments about the Muslim Brotherhood but there’s a larger point being missed. He was trying to portray the Brotherhood as a moderate group and downplay its sinister motives. This severely flawed view, when combined with how he was embarrassingly unaware of major terrorist arrests in London, makes a strong case for his departure.
On Thursday, February 10, Clapper was testifying before the House Intelligence Committee when he began sounding like a Brotherhood apologist. He said that “The term ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ is an umbrella term for a variety of movements, in the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has described Al-Qaeda as a perversion of Islam.”
Clapper made it sound as if the Brotherhood lacks a central leadership and is just a brand name that various groups around the world use. In reality, the Muslim Brotherhood is based in Egypt and while its branches can act relatively independently based on their local conditions, they are united by their Islamist ideology and a plan to incrementally bring the world under Sharia-based governance. The Brotherhood has a Supreme Guide named Muhammad Badi who gives general direction for the worldwide movement.
The Brotherhood may be “very heterogeneous” in that Islamists can come from any social or economic background but that should not be mistaken for ideological diversity as Clapper seems to believe. His statement that it has “eschewed violence” is patently false, as its focus on non-violent methods is a matter of practicality, not conviction. The group has endorsed armed jihad against Western forces in Muslim countries and the Brotherhood cannot be distinguished from Hamas, which is one of its branches.
Article 2 of Hamas’ constitution makes this clear. “The Islamic Resistance Movement is one the wings of the Moslem Brotherhood in Palestine. Moslem Brotherhood Movement is a universal organization which constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times,” it says.
Even if Hamas somehow separated from the Brotherhood, the two remain ideological allies. The Muslim Brotherhood has never condemned Hamas and consistently and loudly supports it. The Brotherhood recently said it would use its influence in the next Egyptian government to revoke the peace treaty with Israel and told Egyptians to “prepare for war with Israel.” Those are not the commands of a non-violent organization.
Clapper’s mentioning of the Muslim Brotherhood’s denunciation of Al-Qaeda is an attempt to make it seem moderate by contrasting the two. This is as valid as trying to assuage the concerns of a community over the presence of an axe murderer by saying he’s condemned a serial killer. The Brotherhood supports the killing of innocent Israelis and its most influential theologian, Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, has praised those waging jihad against U.S. forces in Iraq and said Muslims should ally with the Taliban against the American military in Afghanistan.
Al-Qaradawi has expressed his doubts about Bin Laden being involved in the 9/11 attacks and in November 2007, then-Supreme Guide Muhammed Mahdi Akef said that Bin Laden is “in all certainty, a mujahid [heroic fighter], and I have no doubt in his sincerity in resisting the occupation, close to Allah on high.” He clarified that he disagreed with Al-Qaeda’s attacks on civilians but endorsed their jihad against “occupation,” even saying the Brotherhood would send jihadists to fight in Iraq “if we are permitted.”
Clapper testified that the Brotherhood consists of “chapters of franchise…but there is no overarching agenda, particularly in pursuit of violence, at least internationally.” He is making the case that the actions of one Brotherhood affiliate cannot reflect upon another. A secret Brotherhood document stated that its “work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house…” FBI Director Robert Mueller said on the same day that the Muslim Brotherhood has supported terrorism inside the U.S. and outside the U.S. In order to agree with Clapper, you must believe that the Brotherhood of Egypt is more moderate than the Brotherhood of the U.S.
Clapper is damaged goods. How can anyone take him seriously anymore? Resignation would be the honorable thing to do. We already know he lacks competence…does he also lack integrity?
James Clapper has shown himself to be inexcusably ignorant on critical matters and appears to take a dangerously benign view of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Why do you think he has his job? If he wasn’t inexcusably ignorant on critical matters and wasn’t totally oblivious of the Muslim Brotherhood, jihad, and Islam, he wouldn’t be working for the Obama administration, as he would be considered to be a bigoted Islamophobe. I mean if you aren’t an obsessed Jew hater, Israel basher, Islam apologizer, terrorist sympathizer, and America hater you need not apply because you are unqualified.
In any event, it doesn’t really matter who we appoint, how much money we spend, or how big we grow government ostensibly to protect the homeland from Islamic terrorist attacks, but in reality to give the public a false sense of security so we can continue accommodating mass Muhammadan immigration with all its excess baggage. As long as we have millions of Muhammadans living in the USA, in their enclaves, and with their thousands of mosques and madrassas to provide jihadists aid, comfort, and cover, we are going to continue to be just as vulnerable to Islamic terrorist attacks as we were the day 9/11 occurred.
Not to mention that we all sacrificed the freedom of speech, the freedom of expression, and the right to privacy also to accommodate Muhammadan immigration with all its excess baggage, even though no one ever asked for our consent.
Indeed, all other immigrant groups are required to make personal sacrifices when they immigrate except for Muhammadans who require the host countries involved to continually make more and more sacrifices as time goes on until finally there is nothing more left to sacrifice and you find yourself subjugated dhimmis inside your own countries.
Chezwick_Mac, you have failed to argue your case. As has the fellow who rejoices under the surpassingly unfunny moniker of ObamaYoMama.
James Clapper is a learned and conservative analyst of international affairs. Ryan Mauro certainly is no worthy critic of Mr Clapper or his ideas. In fact, our bewildered friends Chezwick_Mac and ObamaYoMama know just as much as Mauro does—virtually nothing.
And you have failed to make your case. You leveled charges but made no mention of the facts presented or refuted the claims made by Mauro. Yet, we are to believe ~ because you say so, that he knows "virtually nothing." How sad that there are folks that would take you at your word. I love to see a rational argument of points. Perhaps you can present one, one day.
My case:
1) In an interview with 60 minutes last fall, Clapper knew NOTHING about terror arrests in London that had been front-page news for at least 24 hours. Strange oversight from the Director of National Intelligence, eh?
2) In testimony to Congress a week ago, Clapper referred to the Muslim Brotherhood as "largely secular", ignoring a wealth of evidence that the MB is exactly the opposite, that its core advocacy is the implementation of Sharia.
Hardly the musings of a "learned analyst".
All one has to do to understand how the Muslim Brotherhood operate is to look at Sudan over the past 21 years, when the Muslim Brotherhood has had a free hand to carry out its destructive carnage in the Nuba Mts, Southern Sudan oil fields and currently in Darfur. Sudan's genocidal government is Muslim Brotherhood dominated.
Does Clapper and his ilk want the US and the rest of the world to turn into a Darfur? Or is he simply spectacularly ignorant? Either way, its nothing to "clap" about.
Interesting thoughts here. I appreciate you taking the time to share them with us all. It’s people like you that make my day
MORRISEY :
I compare CLAPPER's words to GWB's the night of the 9/11, claiming on TV that
'ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE".
But this braying no less than from the DNI Director on the Muslim Brotherhood
whose goals even sucking babies know about, is inexcusable from every
standpoint and, since I'll rather be safe than sorry, either the ANNOITED ONE
gets rid of him right now or, as somebody pointed out, we should demostrate in
front of the White House and claim for his departure, the way the Egyptians did
to MUBARAK with HIS blessing …
His recent treaty with Russia is equivalent to NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN's "PEACE
IN OUR TIME" with HITLER at the onset of WWII and, as CHAMBERLAIN was
given the pink slip, so should be done to OBAMA and all his gang….
LETS BE DONE WITH HIM ONCE AND FOR ALL..or do we want a 9/11 repetition
because of stupid 'POLITICAL CORRECTNES" , KNOWING AS WE ALL KNOW
WHICH FOOT DOES HE LIMPS Ofrom????
Therefore, I guess those you so ardently criticize, are right in their concepts….
The muslim brotherhood is behind all that is wrong with Islam!
It`s tentacles spread worldwide and they`re extreme islamists of the worst kind!
Their agenda is to spread strict sharia law in every country to set up a global caliphate!
They deceive through TAQQIYA which is part of Islam`s strategy to lie and deceive the public to believe they only want peace when in fact war and submission is their true agenda! They seek to dominate in bringing their mediaevil laws and way of life worldwide!
The Muslim Brotherhood only *reflects* all that is wrong with Islam. Its insistence that man-made law has no legitimacy, and insistence that the state and the faith must be one. Its distinction between the "believer" (Muslim) and the non-believer, with the latter having lesser rights. (A non-believer ruling over a Muslim is deemed intolerable.) The legitimizing of violence both to "defend" and to promote or advance the spread of Islam. The lower status assigned to women. The disdain for freedom of speech ("blasphemy" against Islam or his prophet is a capital offense). The disdain for freedom of religion (leaving the faith of Islam is a capital offense.) And so on.
When you have a president who is a Muslim Brotherhood supporter if not a secret member of the organization, you can't be surprised to find Clappers in the Administration.
There are so many in the Obama administration that need to be fired before Clapper. For example, Eric Holder and Big Sis. Let's also not forget Obama and Biden.
Clapper must go. He is either naive or very stupid to believe the Muslim Brotherhood is a secular association. Look at all the other appointments made and the background of those appointed to positions of influence and control. The whole bunch are either socialists or for one world government. The EPA is being used by the Green party for advancing the cause of One World Government and eliminating private property rights.
Jim Clapper only knows SIGINT and a little about IMINT and is not an all seasoned intelligence professional aware of the many other capabilities in the intelligence community. Let's face it, this is a political appointment, not one where the most qualified intelligence person wins. As a former intelligence professional, he became very political young in his career. Even his answers now, still border on the politics of the situation, rather than requirements, collection, research, analysis, and predictions. Time to go, too many mistakes in such a short time especially when the gravity far outweighs the political connections and the world is taking advantage of weak U.S. foreign policy with the current administration. The Russians won a major victory with the recent arms treaty and at our expense.
Regardless of his past skills and service to the country, it’s apparent that he’s NOT the right man for the job. Resign or be fired!