Lou Dobbs' War Against Islamists

June 08, 2002

A US broadcaster whose CNN telly program is broadcast worldwide is on a mission to re-brand the US War Against Terror as a War Against Islamists. His reasoning is initially attractive, yet simplistic and dangerous.

Lou Dobbs, host of CNN's 'Lou Dobbs MoneyLine', normally dedicated to ways to make money, is an astute, intelligent and likable presenter. He claims CNN support for his mission - that the 'War Against Terror' is misnamed due to political correctness, and should be more correctly named the 'War against Islamists'. He also has brought to his cause several high profile US Islamic scholars.

His argument is that America's enemy is really radical Islamists whose goal is to threaten the 'free enterprise' system and replace it with Islamic states.

While many of us would agree with his stand against political correctness, and his distaste for radical fundamental Islamists who want to take over the world by force rather than logic and beliefs, in the end the cure is worse than the malaise.

His re-branding however focuses on a religion and the ends rather than the means (terrorism). Terrorism is agnostic - it is a political technique of influence that is favored by the poor and dispossessed who cannot use more expensive methods such as international diplomacy, international media propaganda or traditional wars. At present the high profile terrorists are Islamists - but should not our target be the means rather than the ends? In a future time, terrorists may be any other group that is aggrieved and frustrated with their political influence. The actors may change, but the method, which claims as its victims a completely unacceptable collateral damage of innocent souls, will not...

Evoking the words poor and dispossessed is not to attract sympathy. The fact is that this IS the reality. At this point in time for sure, those who use terrorism are mainly Islamic militants. While a very few of their leaders may be rich, and the lieutenants from the middle class international Arab community, the foot soldiers are overwhelmingly poor.

Dobbs obviously believes that people will understand the meaning of the word 'Islamists' to suggest 'radical Islamic extremists'. But while the educated American middle class may understand this, it is a long shot to believe that the 200 Million in Indonesia, just as an example would. It would seem to many Muslims (and in branding - perception IS reality) that America has declared a war against Muslims.

Dobbs new slogan also confuses the means with the ends. It suggests, in what the rest of the world would see in a very un-American way, that people are being targeted for their beliefs, however repugnant that may be to Dobbs, rather than their means. Being an Islamist does not necessarily mean that one is a terrorist. Terrorism is just a technique used by SOME Islamists to further their cause.

While Dobbs claims overwhelming support for his proposal from his viewers, it may well be useful for him to seek the opinions of those who can't afford the idiot box, don't watch CNN, and who don't speak English, before this silliness escalates to seriousness.

Chao Phraya River Rat in Asia Culture on June 08, 2002 11:42 AM

Sponsor APMF Member

Comments

I think that the Islamists must be responsible for a campaign to control these idiotic "fundamentalists" before they cause the remaing people of the world to turn on the Moslems, both good and bad, since the resentment against them will head towards a full blown confrontation, with probably a slaughter of the inefficient terrorists. Unless the true Islamists straighten these ignorant fools with their silver bullets and 72 virgins waiting in Paradise, their religion is doomed. I hope so.

Posted by: Anthony Gill on February 6, 2003 07:59 AM

Dear Mr. Dobbs,
We need to stop this probable war against Iraq. We have no mandate to go in and start a war. Thank God for the French who have the guts to stand up for their convictions, and put a block in the way of US agression.
As Winston Churchill said, "More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginning of all wars - yes, an end to this brutal, inhuman and thoroughly impractical method of settling differences between governments."
Sincerely,
Carolyn Bradley
Longmont, Colorado

Posted by: Carolyn Bradley on February 15, 2003 09:32 PM

Dear Mr Dobbs,

Please stop inviting this ignorant man who is the head of Forbes magazine. Every time he speaks he only demonstrates more of his ignorance and complete bias. HE MAKES ME SICK.

Posted by: Charbel Michel Achkar on March 8, 2003 07:18 AM

Mr. Dobbs, Play Cat Steven's song "Peace Train" on your show. You know a little fair and balance would be nice.

Posted by: Wil Burns on March 14, 2003 01:43 AM

Lou Dobbs should stick to financial matters
where his competence is not so much in question
as his naive approach to geo-political issues..

Posted by: john poitras on March 18, 2003 12:16 PM

Supporting a weird bunch of extremists from a religion like islamic extremists is just as creepy as supporting nazi idealists. It would be like having entire countries in a league of white supremicists steeped in hatred for the arab, african, hispanic, oriental, etc style of life. If the USA supported and trained such groups the world would have a fit. What if there was a group that "called themselves christians" and began to crusade by force and killing...would this not be the same. If Islamic countries are genuinely not whacky extremist losers, then they should police these groups within their own borders like we do the KKK here in the US. If we supported and trained the KKK and praised suicide bombings carried out by them the world would have a cow, and rightfully so. I have never been a prejudiced person against any race or nationality. Now I find myself preferring my kids turn out criminal rather than muslim...at least the rehab would probably be easier. There are surely many muslim people that are not bad folks like many battered wives are not bad, but they are in a dangerous situation and can be easily misled into mischief they would otherwise never consider on their own. I agree with Lou Dobbs, he is a balanced guy and smart.

Posted by: rhodes on March 30, 2003 06:02 AM

Dear Lou,

Keep up your common sense reporting. The majority of us do not criticize our leadership... nor do we shoot the messenger. Many of us were not comfortable with this war, but we support those who have much more experience and information than we do. It is a "wise" person that admits they do not have all the facts, therefore witholding judgement. Let history be written before we speak with inflammatory language.

Posted by: Evonne Burton on April 4, 2003 06:17 AM

Dear Mr. Dobbs,

Why do you think the "State" or even "Defense" are not doing more to explain the US's motives in Iraq to the rest of the Arab world? Iraq's people will get the message soon enough as seen already in the South. But Jordan, Egypt, Saudia, Turkey and the rest of the Islamist countries don't trust our motives, nor believe our intentions. Isn't it important enough?

Posted by: David Feig on April 8, 2003 07:50 AM

lou.i have watched you for years and and on a scale of 10 i find you to be a close 9 in what you do.being a us army veteran i can understand why the soldier put the american flag over SADDAAMS head.have we forgotten so fast what happen at IWO JIMA?keep up the good work lou and GOD bless our forces. thank you JOE

Posted by: joe vario on April 11, 2003 02:44 AM

Why are we being blinded by the overplayed glory of MIA's returning home? This is a chosen career with it's consequences.They are appreciated greatly along with others in dangerous employment that sacrificed their lives.Lets give the television and book rights to the multitude of innocent and homeless victims and childrem that suffer severely with not even an aspirin or clean dressing to aid their painful burden.Are we incapable of a reality check? What have we become? Nestor. Ontario

Posted by: Nestor on April 13, 2003 11:22 PM

Hi Lou,I live in Texas & I drive an SUV.I'm insulted by the people who say I support terrorism,because I drive one.Some are defacing & destroying SUV's,because they believe that & now I'm supposed to be terrorized by the terrorists who are against terrorism.Think about that for a minute.Cliff,Denton,TX.

Posted by: Cliff West on April 18, 2003 05:36 AM

Hello Lou
Not really surprised re: the negative...no, toxic reactions to your position on the UN & the Islamic extremist terrorism being foisted upon a nieve,indifferent world .What does strike me as ironic is that these smug, supposedly enlightened, superior pseudointellectual "liberals" purport to advocate tolerance of diverse, dissenting individuals & groups with respect & intelligent reasoning... yet the pattern of emails to you seems to suggest the opposite.Emotional, adolescent name-calling & abusive, shallow, dead end,cyclical rhetoric supplant logic & hard core evidence & echo another period of history 64 years ago when denial , political correctness , misdirected tolerance, & LMF (lack of moral fibre) attempted to smother a lone voice warning of a gathering storm.Killing the messenger & appeasement by doing nothing to define & remedy the problem only exacerbated it.Political correctness eclipsing common sense, & overplaying the race card are the new tools of these, perhaps well meaning but disaffected dupes & unwitting confederates of terrorist organizations & supporters.I chuckle whenever I see the likes of Martin Sheen & Susan Sarandon leading the charge.In a television interview , the highly respected thespian Sir Anthony Hopkins disclosed that it was his experience & opinion that more than 75% of Hollywood actors suffer from serious mental illness.Most are adept at briefly playing the role of another persona but don't really have any insight into their own.Form without substance is a dangerous lighthouse beacon when the blind lead the blind.If you want to study a fiscal & moral shipwreck of state (of dysfunctional liberalism),just look north to Quebec & eastern Ontario.If the UN was truly an altruistic organization rather than a cesspool of hidden agendas & opportunists,it would embrace the proactive role of "liberator"/peacekeeper rather than the hollywood facade to which it has degenerated. Bush et al merely flushed it out for the world to see the emperor without clothes.Ask any children "liberated" from an Iraqi jail & torture chamber if they would support a fiddling UN eunich, or the US & it's coalition.Stay the course Lou. When you consider the source, you can hardly be insulted.
With much respect,Keith Graham,Vancouver,BC

Posted by: Keith Graham on April 19, 2003 11:21 PM

Lou: On your Friday show you said something about wounded GI's are required to pay the governmnet $10.00 per day for food while in the hospital. What is happening to our government? I am a wounded GI from WWII (twice) what do they want, we risk our lives, by their request and have to pay for our food. No wonder they would rather have us KIA, it would be cheaper. I am disgusted, they need to do something about this NOW!!.I have a grandaughter in Bagdad @ International Airport - OH MY! Could you send me something to confirm this, no one believes me. Thanks, Jack Wright S/Sgt Inf. (retired) Salt Lake City, UT

Posted by: Jack Wright on September 21, 2003 05:24 AM

dear Lou, Aslong as we in america allow homosexual mirage and even allow it to be debated in the press we ourselves are no longer a Christian nation. We are open to attack just as anyone else is. To others it may appear that we see no difference in the sexes or a difference between right and wrong. Another problem is that our past president Incouraged us to allow more islamics into our country. He said we should lower the barriers and let them in. We didn't ask them if they were terrorists or not,nor did we ask them their religion. They came in droves and are scattered all over this U.S. C.S.W.

Posted by: on September 25, 2003 06:06 AM

Good evening Lou, I am not as concerned with the war in Iraq as I am with the division that is taking place within our own nation.
The bickering between members of the Democratic Party and the attacks on our President by members of this party.
For a nation to stand strong their must be unity and respect for those in positions of leadership.
I am reminded of Lincoln's speech of 1858 in which he spoke of a house divided cannot stand. His insight was gained from the following portions of Scripture.
Mt 12:25 - Show Context
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Mr 3:25 - Show Context
And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Lu 11:17 - Show Context
But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Posted by: Paul M. Anderson Ed.D. on October 29, 2003 05:51 AM

Mr 3:25 - Show Context
And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Lu 11:17 - Show Context
But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Posted by: Paul M. Anderson Ed.D. on October 29, 2003 05:51 AM

Dear lou, Since islamist countrys want to attack our country why not identify where these terrorists are from and bomb one islamist building for each bomb the use to blow up our cities or our buildings. If the islamist is from ciaro, we can bomb one of their mosks in cairo etc. It was an arab that crashed an airplane into the sea off New York a year or so before the rest of this mess started. As long as we appear week we will keep getting hit. The leaders of these countries where the terrorists come from know what is going on. We are being targeted and we are acting weak. We can get by on less oil.

Posted by: on November 2, 2003 02:04 AM