Crib Sheet: "Islamofascism"
Debunking a Conservative Smear Tactic
By Annika Carlson and Sarah Dreier
October 22, 2007
Illustration by August J. Pollak – Photo: Antonio Melina/ABr
In the days following 9/11, Americans across the ideological spectrum united in support of increased protections against terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. But a handful of conservatives used the attacks to promote division among Americans and their allies abroad. For example, conservative writer Stephen Schwartz employed the term “Islamofascism” in a Weekly Standard article to describe the ideology of America’s enemies in its newly minted “war on terror.” Unfortunately, the moniker stuck with many prominent conservatives. Right-wing pundits, policy makers, and journalists started using the term, and even President Bush has employed it to describe terrorist networks in the Middle East.
That’s a shame, because Islamofascism is a misleading and harmful label: Instead of correctly identifying America’s enemies, it inaccurately describes modern terrorism, wrongly demonizes Islam as a violent religion, and dangerously obscures America’s real national security threats.
Here are the top four reasons why conservatives should stop using the term Islamofascism, and an explanation of what ideas and policies they should be promoting instead.
Islamofascism misrepresents modern terrorism and Islam.
It makes little sense to use the word “fascism” to describe today’s terrorism threat. Al Qaeda and other 21st century terrorists do not rely on the nation-state concept that defined 20th century fascism. Whereas fascists used violence to create control out of disorder, contemporary terrorists derive ammunition from chaos.
Nor is it appropriate to employ a term that strongly implies that Islam and terror are synonymous. At first glance, one might agree with conservative New York Times columnist William Safire in his assessment of the label: “The compound defines those terrorists who profess a religious mission while embracing totalitarian methods and helps separate them from devout Muslims who want no part of terrorist means.” But most who use the term fail to make this crucial distinction; instead, they employ Islamofascism to imply that Islam and terror are fundamentally entwined. National Review columnist Deroy Murdock, for instance, supplements his case that Saddam Hussein supported Islamofascism—and therefore could be tied to Al Qaeda—by pointing out that Hussein “began to pray publicly to boost his ‘mosque-cred.’” David Horowitz, known for his fallacy-ridden attacks on academia, has organized “Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week” on college campuses across the country and has encouraged students to show the film “Islam: What the West Needs to Know.” According to Horowitz’s website, the movie depicts “the violent, expansionary ideology of the so called ‘religion of peace’ that seeks the destruction or subjugation of other faiths, cultures, and systems of government.”
Despite the claims of some of its supporters, Islamofascism is not used “sparingly or precisely.” The label has been slapped onto groups and individuals as diverse as Hezbollah, Saddam Hussein, and the Saudi government—denigrating Islam as a violent religion in the process. Theologians recognize Islam as a peaceful religion that shares theological roots and principles with Judaism and Christianity. Religious leaders such as Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as political leaders such as Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, and President Bush, have all publicly stated that Islam is a peaceful religion that warrants respect.
Islamofascism oversimplifies the challenge.
No one expects any different from the likes of Bill O’Reilly, but when influential political figures like President Bush use the term, Islamofascism takes on a level of significance in the national discourse that must be addressed. By suggesting that there is a unified force working against American interests, proponents of the term oversimplify an extremely diverse, multifaceted collection of groups. Simply put, the concept of a unified Muslim plot against America is a fabrication that distracts Americans from the actual challenges we face. While some Islamic groups in the Middle East do threaten the security of the United States, many do not, and their motivations, goals, methods, and levels of radicalism are extremely varied.
Political groups in the Middle East such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Palestinian territories, and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt have varied national and international political interests that cannot be reduced to the sound-bite level. Each group has distinct political goals and operates within the unique political system of its own region. Harper’s Magazine Washington Editor Ken Silverstein points out that although many Islamic political parties maintain ties with militant factions, “it is not entirely accurate to describe them…as fundamentalist or backward or even conservative.” The term Islamofascism attempts to organize these and other ideologically and methodologically disparate political groups into one easily identifiable clan—and in the process manufactures a false sense of a unified U.S. enemy. Lumping such groups together under the banner of Islamofascism obscures our understanding of these unique groups’ distinct beliefs and methods and hampers our ability to effectively understand each.
Islamofascism poisons meaningful discourse.
There’s no question that the term Islamofascism is offensive to Muslim Americans. According to Douglas Streusand, a professor of Islamic history at the Marine Corps Staff College, “Most Muslims interpret Islamofascism as a slur.” Spencer Ackerman, a journalist who has written extensively on terrorism, observed such reactions in Dearborn, Mich., which has the second-highest Arab population in America. “Practically everyone I’ve spoken with in Dearborn,” he wrote, “from oncologists to students to clerics, brings up the term unprompted to explain how they feel themselves under collective suspicion from the Justice Department, a tone they feel Bush has set himself by using the phrase.” With such a phrase burned in the forefront of their political consciousnesses, it’s no surprise that most Muslim Americans believe it is more difficult to be a Muslim in the United States after 9/11. Instead of welcoming Muslim citizens into the greater American dialogue, labels like Islamofascism push them to the margins.
This effect isn’t surprising. As Nation columnist Katha Pollitt points out, “‘Islamo-fascism’ looks like an analytic term, but really it’s an emotional one, intended to get us to think less and fear more.” Intellectually, Islamofascism doesn’t mean much, but it does pack an emotional punch: It remarkets a complex threat as an easily defined enemy that is united against American values. The term underscores an “us-versus-them” mentality that typifies conservatives’ approach to contemporary terrorism, and positions anyone who objects to such polarizing language as pro-terrorism or sympathetic to radical Islam.
Islamofascism hurts our national security interests.
Since this us-versus-them formulation obscures and inhibits meaningful debate on the nexus of Islam and anti-American terrorism, it harms our own national security interests by preventing policymakers from accurately addressing America’s security situation.
The term has entered popular usage precisely at a time when U.S. foreign policy would benefit most from dialogue with as many groups from the Middle East as possible. As Pollitt observes, “‘Islamo-fascism’ enrages to no purpose the dwindling number of Muslims who don’t already hate us.” Although the simplicity of the term may seem helpful at first, it contributes nothing but confusion and vitriol to discussions of American national security interests. Policy makers should eschew such harmful overgeneralizations and focus instead on what we actually know about radical terrorist organizations, Muslim or otherwise.
The Muslim Brotherhood, for example, has shown that groups that begin as violent and radical political parties can moderate if they are permitted to participate in legitimate political channels. Indeed, the least effective way to moderate a violent political group is to cut it off by unconditionally declaring it an enemy. Of course, some groups with radical millennial agendas have little interest in political participation, but the only intelligent way to build security and encourage peace is to consider groups case by case.
Islamofascism can be replaced.
We certainly need language to describe and analyze our challenges, but Islamofascism isn’t helping. Fortunately, there are ways to talk about and respond to terrorism that don’t fall into the same traps. Ackerman has suggested that we use the term “anti-Western Salafist jihadism” for its “relative precision.” Although it may not be catchy, the subsequent blog discussion confirms that it’s a good first step toward meaningful consideration of the words we use to describe our battles.
Furthermore, instead of scaring and insulting people with a mindless and divisive campaign, those who insist on using the term Islamofascism should instead join the rest of America as it attempts to prevent terrorism and encourage peaceful, democratic societies through homeland security and national security policies that effectively protect our borders and people; intelligence and research that accurately analyzes the true nature and capacities of both terrorist groups and Muslim communities; determined diplomacy that presses for peaceful solutions to difficult conflicts; and resurgent efforts to promote democracy, openness, tolerance, and prosperity through peaceful means.
Annika Carlson is special assistant to the director of Campus Progress, and Sarah Dreier is part of Center for American Progress’s Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative.
Click here for Campus Progress’s “Islamo-fascism Awareness Week” response kit.
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Comments
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Dear Annika and Sarah …
Please go live for a year as a woman in any one of the following countries.
Saudi Arabia
Nigeria
Ethiopia
Mali
Iran
Then come back and tell us how complicated the problem is. You’ll have to wait for your year to be completely up, though, because if you speak out as a woman there you die.
You can’t as stupid as you seem … I hope.
— Maryam - Oct 22, 12:19 PM - #P. S. Neither of you pointed out that Stephen Sulejman Schwartz is a MUSLIM and a Sufi, and he has been bravely facing down the Sa’udi financing of radical mosques for years.
You should read “The Two Faces of Islam”, which is his book.
Then read Ed Husain’s “The Islamist”.
Real education on real issues.
You have no idea how writing like yours infuriates Muslim women who have been (or still are) virtually incarcerated by the violence and misogyny of these cultures.
— Maryam - Oct 22, 12:22 PM - #The problem is that we’re not just against “anti-Western Salafist jihadism”.
We’re against anyone who thinks it’d be okay to stone gays to death, or who opposes women having complete sexual freedom over their own bodies and equal rights, or who opposes freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
In short, we want the Middle East to eventually look like the less-reactionary, more progressive portion of Israel.
— Joe - Oct 22, 02:42 PM - #There’s also the whole little issue of Sunnis and Shia being able to tolerate one another in close proximity without ethnic cleansing. And no, this isn’t a double standard – most Americans think it’s batshit crazy when Catholics and Protestants start fucking with each other in Northern Ireland, too.
I agree that the term ‘Islamofascism’ isn’t that helpful, but your description of what the alternative should be is lacking as well.
— Joe - Oct 22, 07:14 PM - #you stupid shit Ethiopia is a christian majority country, if you want to look at christian countries lets do so: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Congo DR, Ivory Coast, Serbia, Armenia.. etc.
all fucked up countries.
— Moooslem - Oct 22, 08:43 PM - #You have no idea how writing like yours infuriates Muslim women who have been (or still are) virtually incarcerated by the violence and misogyny of these cultures.
Unless, you know, you were a member of any American women’s right’s group like NARAL, NOW, or Amnesty International, who you may be shocked to discover actual tried to raise awareness about the treatment of Women in Arab (and other countries) for decades prior to right-wingers deciding it was suddenly time to care about women when it made carpet-bombing their countries palatable.
I mean, seriously, do you really believe that progressives don’t care about the treatment of women everywhere in the world? Do you really think Horowitz cared about them prior to 9/11? Did you even read this article?
— August J. Pollak - Oct 22, 09:24 PM - #Salaamz and Peace everyone,
As a Muslim woman, I feel I should say something on this matter. David Horowitz helps none of us with his racist xenophobic slander. Such rhetoric leads to the wars being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan where Muslim women, the very people he claims to be fighting for, are being bombed and killed. If you really want to help Muslim women, help out the Muslim women activists who have been working in the trenches against sexism. And learn how to distinguish what is Islam and what is the worst aspects Arab or Afghan culture.
And it wouldn’t hurt if you would create a culture where American women don’t have to live in fear of being robbed, raped and killed or objectified in pornographic magazines. It’s not as if women are living in a feminist wonderland here, either. Just a few months ago, an honor crime took place where a man killed his girlfriend, chopped her body and burned in his BBQ grill. And no, he wasn’t Muslim. But with friends like Ann “women shouldn’t have the right to vote” Coulter and Horowitz, who needs enemies?
— Kelly Izdihar - Oct 22, 09:48 PM - #Whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Judeofascist Awareness Week is now in session.
— DrM - Oct 22, 10:02 PM - #David Horowitz and the rest in this campaign are not the reason for our miseries as Muslims. Our miseries didn’t evolve as a result of the activities of these few individuals. Our miseries were, and continue to be, brought up, progressed and further exasperated by the centuries of tyrannical, despotism and criminality of the regimes of 95% of the Muslim world. Ironically it is the work of CAIR which diabolically conceals its activities behind a burke they call Islamic civil liberties. CAIR’s activities in reality enables despots like a 70 years old Arab king to further perpetuate many of these perceptions that will rightfully be exploited by individuals like David Horowitz.
All of the Arab countries that surround the Persian Gulf engage in the most devastating atrocities against humanity. Dubai which became playground to the rich and famous and the CEOs of the west thrived only because of their exploitation of labor and white slavery. These regimes are a threat not only to Islam and Muslims but to the entire humanity. For example, Dubai was a major hub for Saddam’s oil smuggling operations for 12 years. Dubai just recently donated millions of dollars to CAIR.
The billions of dollars that Dubai had earned while enabling Saddam in strangling Iraqis are being used today, as we speak, to further strangle and destroy Iraq. Dubai is funding many of the terrorists’ activities that are taking place in Iraq.
— Raid Mohammad - Oct 23, 10:03 AM - #Excellent response from Kelly Izdihar. More often than not Americans confuse Islam with the culture of Muslim countries. For instance not allowing women to drive and become full participants in society is not from Islam or it’s authentic sources. You can’t advocate educating women without the implied meaning of liberating them and that is exactly what prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did over 14 centuries ago. This article is excellent and is very much needed in a climate where there is too much emotion and very little thinking and reflection. Also, CAIR’s activities as a Muslim American civil rights organization does not enable despots or tyranny, such outrages statements are based on ignorance, the desire to slander and to circumvent the excellent work they do here in the U.S.
— Rashad Abdul-Azeem - Oct 23, 03:58 PM - #Many of you are missing the point of this article. The term ‘islamofascism’ is not some more-or-less correct analytical term that can be debated on the facts. Its primary use is as a slur against Muslims by conservative commentators in order to paint all anti-Western Muslim in broad, erroneous strokes, in part to justify some of the most idiotic foreign policy decisions in the past three decades.
That is good enough a point to convince us to stop using the term. There are plenty of other phrases useful in specific contexts, like “Islamic terrorism” or “religious fundamentalism” or “insurgency” or “internationalist terrorist” or whatnot that refer to Islam only when necessary and relevant.
Really, how hard is this?
— AndrewGarib - Oct 23, 09:49 PM - #Sorry, but this is a prime example of the moral relativism of the far left, no different from that of the far right. I have no respect for either political extreme, because neither actually care about human rights. More, both extremes seek to undermine the rights of people, while at the same time exploiting them for personal agenda.
The truth is, the far left seeks to ally itself with Islamofascists, for the same reason the fascistic left in Italy allied itself with the Nazi’s, authoritarian totalitarian movements recognizing each other and attempting to work together to further their agenda of hatred and intolerance to gain further power and control. No thanks. This is activism in aid of one thing, oppression, enslavement and genocide.
— Jenny Perry - Oct 26, 10:24 AM - #Muslims Against Sharia congratulate David Horowitz FREEDOM CENTER and Mike Adams, Tammy Bruce, Phyllis Chesler, Ann Coulter, Nonie Darwish, Greg Davis, Stephen Gale, David Horowitz, Joe Kaufman, Michael Ledeen, Michael Medved, Alan Nathan, Cyrus Nowrasteh, Daphne Patai, Daniel Pipes, Dennis Prager, Luana Saghieh, Rick Santorum, Jonathan Schanzer, Christina Sommers, Robert Spencer, Brian Sussman, Ed Turzanski, Ibn Warraq and other speakers on the success of the Islamofascism Awareness Week.
Islamofascism (or Islamism) is the main threat facing modern civilization and ignorance about this threat is astounding. We hope that this event becomes regular and reaches every campus.
A great many Westerners do not see the clear distinction between Islam and Islamism (Islamofascism). They need to understand that the difference between Islam and Islamism (Islamofascism) is the same as the difference between Christianity and Christian Identity Movement (White Supremacy Movement).
Original post
— Muslims Against Sharia - Oct 27, 12:41 AM - #“Muslims against Sharia” is a group of judeofascist liars pretending to be Muslims. They’ve already been exposed. Judeofascist awareness week is still in session.
— DrM - Oct 27, 02:08 AM - #Itbach Al Yahud!!
— Ibrahim Al Durra - Oct 29, 03:29 PM - #This well intentioned article, with a few good points, and all of the criticism of it entirely miss the point. The relevant question is whether any Islamic state or Islamist movement can be accurately described as ‘fascist’. That judgement cannot be made without a clear definition of what ‘fascism’ is.
Everybody here has been using ‘fascism’ as a label for a mishmash of WWII propaganda images. On that basis, everyone is speaking as if the meaning of ‘fascism’ is that it is a racist, sexist, militarized totalitarian one party state ruled by a charismatic dictator. Those are all superficial characteristics of the historical fascist states of six to eight decades ago – at most symptoms rather than defining elements.
Benito Mussolini, the man who invented fascism, and the first national fascist dictator, once said that a more accurate label for his political ideology was ‘corporatism’. In fact, fascist ideology explicitly stated its goal to be the ‘corporate state’, a union of government with the largest corporations in the economy. To put it most simply, ‘fascism’ is ‘government of the people, by the corporations, and for the corporations’.
Now ask yourself whether there is any muslim nation on this planet that fits the original Fascist’s definition of ‘fascism’ – or whether there is any Islamist religous or political or ‘terrorist’ movement that has the creation of a corporate state as their goal.
Now look around the world and ask yourself what nation is most ruled by and for corporations, by means of political corruption, electoral fraud, corporate dominated campaign finance and a few of the largest corporations owning most of the ‘mainstream media”, keeping most of the people focused on mis-represented foreign threats – and, oh, by the way, exploiting racism, sexism, and militarizing society to rationalize suppressing civil liberties and to promote authoritarian values.
Now ask yourself why extremist ideologues mis-representing themselves as ‘conservatives’ are so intent on mis-directing your attention, looking for ‘fascist’ (“Islamo-” or otherwise) everywhere but at home, right under your nose, and hanging over your head.
The authors and commentators on this site are supposed to be “Progressives” and “extreme left-wing liberal wingnuts”? – not until you get a clue…
— G.P. Franck-Weiby - Oct 29, 06:11 PM - #“Muslims against Sharia” is a group of judeofascist liars pretending to be Muslims. They’ve already been exposed. Judeofascist awareness week is still in session.
How comical is this??!! Yep blame the jews for everything. Scary really. athe reason that islam exists today is because muslims are murdered or imprisoned for leaving. Eg7ypt and Iran and Sudan and Iraq are or were facists. Palestinians helped murder over 800,000 jews in WWII. Real history and real facts. Schools teach very litttle of those two items.
— yolo - Oct 30, 12:31 PM - #Nonsense yolo, Palestinians had nothing to do with the Holocaust of European Jews. All Jews? Nope, just judeofascists. A pathetic judeofascist ploy to smear the Palestinian people whose land zionist terrorists occupy. Anti-Muslim propaganda wont get you anywhere, nazis.
— DrM - Nov 2, 06:46 PM - #“ ‘Muslims against Sharia’ is a group of judeofascist liars pretending to be Muslims.”
— Craig Stallone - Nov 2, 09:32 PM - #Can you provide some documentation of that? See I’ve been to their site and, although I haven’t looked it over very closely, I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. I’d be disappointed if they were fakes, but I’m willing to be convinced if evidence is placed before me.
The proof is in the pudding, Craig. Look up the names of the people part of ““Muslims against Sharia” and their message, and you will find hardcore anti-Muslim zionists masquerading as Muslims. Even atheists take them apart:
http://www.freethinker.co.uk/?p=175
If you’re receptive to what they are saying, you have a problem, and need to shed the hateful pre-conditioning.
— DrM - Nov 4, 11:57 AM - #Check out Judeofascist Awareness Week at my blog for the goods on all of these charlatans.
Very well then, DrM. I was judging by what I saw at their site. So they’re not for real. But without knowing that they’re fake, taking them on face value and evaluating the message, the hate is pretty hard to find. Your own link refers to them as “almost too good to be true.” I only regret is that they aren’t true. I know there are Muslims out there who regret the excesses of their extremists as much as I do those of Pres. Bush. I’d like for them to have a highly visible web presence, though.
— Craig Stallone - Nov 4, 01:30 PM - #Why would you want a group of hateful charlatans to have more exposure, Craig? The role of these individuals is to misinform and widen the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims, while promoting zionist fables about Islam and the Arab-Israeli conflict. I never referred to them as “too good to be true.” Sharia is Muslim personal law which is applicable only to Muslims. Learn what is it and isn’t before jumping on the bandwagon with these judeofascists.
— DrM - Nov 5, 03:47 AM - #Maybe they would like to join my new group called “Jews against Halakha”(Jewish personal law).
DrM, your link referred to them as “almost too good to be true.” It’s right there in the first paragraph on the page you linked. I didn’t attribute that quote to you, but to your link. Please don’t misquote me.
— Craig Stallone - Nov 5, 07:32 AM - #The reason why they said that, as I understood it, was that the group’s presentation of themselves, as a moderate Islamic organization that vocally opposes their extremist co-religionists is a good thing.
In this instance, it apparently wasn’t real. But I’m sure there are such moderates out there, and I look forward to hearing from them. Not from hatemongers or fakes – from a group that really is what Muslims against Sharia present themselves to be.
It’s always amusing to hear people in America complain so much about Islam’s treatment of women.
The West’s image of itself as a knight in shining armour who will rescue the Arab/Muslim women from her evil dark husband, take her back to his palace, and ejoy her exotic looks, is something that will probably never die out.
There is no society in history that objectifies women and treat them more as things, than modern American culture. Everywhere, images of half-naked women selling beer.
Yeah, that’s real respect for woman-kind.
— Dar - Nov 5, 06:46 PM - #Dr.M,Palestinians served with the mulim brigades in the SS. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was hitlers favorite person and the muslims loved hitler then as they do now. You should read history and learn it before you speak that which you have no clue.
By the way the term islamo facist was first created by Algerians not any westerner. The term is perfect for what we are seeing in all over Europe today.
— yolo - Nov 13, 11:54 AM - #Islam and fascism could hardly be more diametrically opposed.
Islamofascism expresses more about the person using the term than it does anything else.
— wwz - Nov 28, 06:23 AM - #Rubbish yolo, Palestinians never served in the SS. The Grand Mufti was fed by Jewish terrorists running amok in his country. Infact a 100000 Jews served in Hitlers army. Zionist terrorists like Yitzhak Shamir openly volunteered to fight for the nazis in exchange for a jewish “homeland” in Palestine. “One Cow in Palestine is worth more than all the Jews in Poland.”
— DrM - Dec 19, 02:56 PM - #The term “Islamofascist” was coined by French Islamophobes, not Algerians. Judeofascists like you are just repeating old rehashed and refuted propaganda which no historian takes seriously. Try again, shlomo.
OK so, we’re supposed to draw a distinction between people who want to kill the infidels and prophet who spent his adult life killing infidels and writing a religious book that says to kill infidels.
.....Right.
— Pat T - Apr 8, 03:32 PM - #Infidels, Pat? You mean terrorists who go around invading countries based on lies calling it “liberation”? Sorry, shobbos boy..infidels is a term from the Bible, not the Quran. The Prophet(saw) only fought those who attacked and persecuted the nascent Muslim community. Its called self defense, look it up sometime when you’re not busy playing victim while stealing a barrel of oil.
— DrM - Sep 3, 05:56 AM - #Better get your paws on a history book, assuming you can steer yourself away from judeofascist kool aid websites.
Islamic holy texts call for the death of apostates, and some Muslims take the call quite seriously. This article is well intentioned but naive. While it goes without saying that being a Muslim doesn’t make you a suicide bomber, you strongly underestimate the role that religion plays in Middle Eastern terrorism. The Muslim world threatens death when a cartoonist in Denmark draws an Islamic prophet. They certainly don’t need any help from you in playing the hurt feelings card.
— David Knott - Mar 1, 12:16 PM - #Wrong on all counts, David Knott. Islam does NOT call for death of apostates(quite the opposite Islam discourages conversion for those wish to enter the religion for subterfuge). Nor did the Muslim world threaten death on racist Danish cartoonists. They protested after repeated provocations only to have western client regimes shoot them dead. Hmm…so why exactly are you funding dictatorships all over the world for? Ku Klux Krusaders declared a crusade against Islam to steal natural resources so don’t whine and complain when you have your behinds handed to you on a platter. You can’t debate Muslims so you prefer lying as a tactic. Time you get educated, you can start by not feasting on Robert Spencer’s Geehad Watch excrement.
Judeofascist vermin and their shabbos goyim followers are the true terrorists on the world. We’ll be doing another Judeofascist Awarness Week later this year.
Watch for it, and good luck finding those Iraqi WMDs, six years and counting.
Here’s the last Judeofascist Awareness Week
drmaxtor.blogspot.co…
— DrM - May 19, 11:29 PM - #