Christine Brim is an islamophobic pos to ignore. Petraeus will never be zionist enough for that bitch.
On Friday, May 20, 2016 at 7:28:12 AM UTC-5, Travis wrote: > > > > > > > > > > http://thefederalist.com/2016/05/18/why-david-petraeus-really-wants-you-to-shut-up-about-islamism/ > > > Why David Petraeus Wants You To Shut Up About Islamism > > Christine Brim > > [image: Why David Petraeus Really Wants You To Shut Up About Islamism] > <http://thefederalist.com/2016/05/18/why-david-petraeus-really-wants-you-to-shut-up-about-islamism/> > > > > By > > May 18, 2016 > > On May 13, the *Washington Post *published an online op-ed > <https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/david-petraeus-anti-muslim-bigotry-aids-islamist-terrorists/2016/05/12/5ab50740-16aa-11e6-924d-838753295f9a_story.html> > by > former CIA director and CENTCOM commander David Petraeus, titled > “Anti-Muslim bigotry aids Islamist terrorists.” The op-ed was noteworthy > chiefly for Petraeus’ use of rhetorical clichés more commonly expected from > the Council on American Islamic Relations > <http://www.steveemerson.com/10328/smear-inc-silencing-the-critics-of-islamic> > and > the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s “Islamophobia Observatory > <http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv3/upload/islamophobia/2015/en/reports/8th_Ob_Rep_Islamophobia_Final.pdf>,” > > including such standards as “inflammatory political discourse against > Muslims and Islam,” “blanket discrimination on the basis of religion,” > “those who flirt with hate speech against Muslims,” “those who demonize and > denigrate Islam,” “who toy with anti-Muslim bigotry,” and the ever-reliable > “demonizing a religious faith and its adherents.” Although the op-ed seemed > to target Donald Trump, it also admonished all Americans to limit what we > say about Islam. > > Petraeus’s attack was so over-the-top, no expression critical of Islamic > doctrine would escape his censorship. Have you criticized mainstream > Islamic doctrine or the laws of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates? > You’re demonizing a religious faith. Do you object to authoritative Islamic > doctrines justifying jihad, proclaimed by both Islamic governments and > non-state Islamic militants alike? Stop toying with anti-Muslim bigotry; > you’re just aiding “Islamist terrorists.” > > Robert Spencer of Jihadwatch <https://www.jihadwatch.org/> expertly > summarized > <https://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/05/petraeus-calls-for-self-censorship-to-avoid-offending-muslims> > Petraeus’s > specious logic: “So the upshot of Petraeus’ argument is that we must not > say things to which Muslims might object, because this will just make more > of them become jihadis. His prescription for minimizing the jihad against > the West is for the West to practice self-censorship in order to avoid > offending Muslims.” > > Sadly, Petraeus’s attacks primarily undercut the foremost critics of > Islamic doctrine: Muslim reformers, the group of Muslims who most need our > support. A prominent young Muslim reformer, Shireen Qudosi, responded to > his op-ed with this poignant tweet > <https://twitter.com/ShireenQudosi/status/731168672023085056>: “Petraeus > doesn’t see that for much of the maddening world of Muslims and liberals, > hate speech is conflated w/ truth.” > > The theme of Petraeus’s op-ed, “Anti-Muslim bigotry aids Islamist > terrorists,” was in line with a campaign to blame ISIS on Western critics > of Islamic doctrine. For example, The Mirror: “ISIS wouldn’t be here if > there wasn’t Islamophobia > <http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/isis-islamophobia-muslim-girls-edl-5348349>”; > > *The Nation*: “ISIS Wants You to Hate Muslims > <http://www.thenation.com/article/assault-on-life/>”; *The Guardian*: > “Islamophobia > plays right into the hands of Isis > <http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/25/islamophobia-isis-muslim-islamic-state-paris>”; > > Salon: “After Brussels, far-right Islamophobes are doing exactly what > ISIS wants them to do > <http://www.salon.com/2016/03/22/after_brussels_far_right_islamophobes_are_doing_exactly_what_isis_wants_them_to_do_threatening_the_gray_zone/>”; > > and last but not least, Hillary Clinton in *The Daily Mail*: “‘He is > becoming ISIS’ best recruiter’: Hillary Clinton blasts Donald Trump for > demonizing Muslims and using ‘bluster and bigotry to inflame people > <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3367523/He-ISIS-best-recruiter-Clinton-blasts-Trump-demonizing-Muslims-using-bluster-bigotry-inflame-people.html> > .” > > But in the curious case of Petraeus’s op-ed, what was deleted prior to > publication is more interesting than what the *Post* finally published. > Sometime early in the morning on Friday the 13th, these six words were > deleted from the short Petraeus bio (known to editors as the ID) > accompanying the piece: “chairman of the KKR Global Institute.” > > Here’s a screenshot from the indispensable Newsdiffs.org > <http://newsdiffs.org/diff/1154896/1155091/https%3A/www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/david-petraeus-anti-muslim-bigotry-aids-islamist-terrorists/2016/05/12/5ab50740-16aa-11e6-924d-838753295f9a_story.html> > website: > > [image: brim1] > ( chairman of the KKR Global Institute,) > > Explaining the deletion, *Washington Post* Opinion Editor Michael Larabee > said, “The ID including the KKR phrase was not the final edited ID for the > piece. I had decided on the shorter ID during the editing process, but > unfortunately the longer ID was still on the Web text when it was published > overnight. It was updated when it came to my attention first thing that > morning.” Larabee later emailed, “We didn’t do a correction because there > was no factual error to correct – both ID’s were accurate — and I can’t get > into the internal process of how it came to my attention.” > > Kristi Huller of KKR’s media office unequivocally stated Petraeus had > requested the change. “General Petraeus regularly writes in his private > capacity about non-investment specific issues and this was one of those > instances. The Washington Post erroneously added the KKR affiliation. > General Petraeus requested the update. KKR was not involved in the piece or > the byline discussion with the Post.” > > So why did Petraeus request that his KKR affiliation be removed? After > all, he widely publicizes his KKR affiliation elsewhere. His LinkedIn page > <https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpetraeus> leads with his dual KKR > roles: “General (Ret) David H. Petraeus joined KKR in June 2013 as Chairman > of the KKR Global Institute. He was made a Partner in December 2014.” > Money Makes the World Go Round > > Perhaps the *Post* should have let their readers judge for themselves if > Petraeus’s financial interests in KKR, and KKR’s financial interests in the > Middle East, were relevant to his op-ed demanding an end to criticism of > Islam. KKR has been trying for the past seven years to enter private equity > markets in Muslim-majority countries, especially in Dubai (part of the > United Arab Emirates) and Saudi Arabia. During those same years, the > governments of Dubai > <https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2015/country-chapters/united-arab-emirates> > and Saudi Arabia > <https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2015/country-chapters/saudi-arabia> > hardened their laws against criticism of Islam at home, and increased their > lobbying spending to shut down criticism of Islamic doctrine abroad. > > KKR has been trying for the past seven years to enter private equity > markets in Muslim-majority countries. > > Petraeus joined KKR in June 2013, six months after he had to resign from > the CIA. As *The New York Times *noted in a 2015 profile > <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/us/after-washington-petraeus-is-under-radar-but-not-out-of-spotlight.html> > of > Petraeus, “private equity experts said his real value was his Rolodex. > ‘Petraeus is kind of a door-opener,’ said one friend of Mr. Kravis, who > insisted on anonymity to discuss private business matters. ‘If Petraeus > helps Henry find a way to $100 million in investments in Kazakhstan or > elsewhere, it’s a good deal for both of them.’” > > KKR, a 40-year old global investment firm <http://www.kkr.com/kkr-today> with > $120 billion in assets under management, had begun as Kohlberg Kravis > Roberts & Co., memorialized in Bryan Burrough and John Helyar’s superb 1989 > book “Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco.” KKR first expanded > into Europe and Asia, and in recent years they began their move into the > Middle East. > > In May 2009 the newly formed subsidiary KKR Middle East and North Africa > <http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KKR+moves+into+the+DIFC.-a0199636936> (KKR > MENA) received a license to operate from the Dubai International Financial > Centre. Two years later, in June 2011, another new KKR subsidiary, KKR > Saudi Limited > <http://media.kkr.com/media/media_releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=588364>, > received an Arranging License from the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to > seek investment opportunities > <http://www.kkr.com/_files/pdf/March_2016-CMA_Disclosure.pdf> in Saudi > Arabia, as the first global U.S. private equity firm to enter the Saudi > market. > > KKR had hired Petraeus as chairman of the Global Institute for exactly > these opportunities, as Henry Kravis announced in KKR’s May 2013 press > release > <http://media.kkr.com/media/media_releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=768022> > announcing > the Petraeus appointment: “As the world changes and we expand how and where > we invest, we are always looking to sharpen the ‘KKR edge.’” Petraeus would > help with “investments in new geographies,” presumably in those Middle East > and Central Asian countries he knew from his years as CENTCOM commander and > CIA director. > Nothing to See Here, Invest Away > > Petraeus got to work, presenting a sunny view of reforms in the region in > a December 2013 interview with the PrivCap newsletter (video > <http://www.privcap.com/david-petraeus-kkr/> and transcript > <http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/KKR/0x0x719653/bdd444a5-9e50-4081-9683-df858624109e/Outlook2014_KKRPanel.pdf> > highlights): > “Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco. . . in > each of these countries there have been far more reforms than I think most > people recognize. You have to understand the culture. You have to > understand the conflicting tensions in these countries to appreciate how > much, say, King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia has really done in a state where > there is a lot of conservative sentiment.” > > In January 2014, exactly one month after Petraeus’s speech lauding > regional reforms, Saudi Arabia passed the Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism > and Its Financing. As the *Washington Post > <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/02/09/the-facts-and-a-few-myths-about-saudi-arabia-and-human-rights/>* > noted > at the time, the Saudis were already using execution and lashing as > punishments for any criticism of Islam (blasphemy), attempts to leave Islam > (apostasy), or criticism of the government. > > In February 2014, in an act that helped the global fight against > terrorism, the Saudis designated the Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah as > terrorist organizations, but they applied the January terrorism law > primarily against dissidents who wanted to reform Saudi Arabia’s Islamic > doctrines. According to Human Rights Watch > <https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/03/20/saudi-arabia-new-terrorism-regulations-assault-rights>, > > the enforcement regulations for the new 2014 “terrorism” law included: > > Sweeping provisions that authorities can use to criminalize virtually any > expression or association critical of the government and its understanding > of Islam…Article 1. Calling for atheist thought in any form, or calling > into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this > country is based. [Article 2:] Anyone who throws away their loyalty to the > country’s rulers, or who swears allegiance to any party, organization, > current [of thought], group, or individual inside or outside [the kingdom]… > > A total of seven articles criminalized free expression, with prison > sentences ranging from three to 20 years. The Saudis used the law to go > after dissident bloggers, journalists, human rights activists, lawyers, > anyone who stood out. Enforcement was arbitrary, brutal, and effective. Any > communications with “reformers” became criminal. An example: an eight-year > prison sentence was given to a Saudi for posting tweets and YouTube videos > supporting demonstrations by families of imprisoned dissidents, as well as > for “his sarcasm toward the ruler of the kingdom and its religious > authorities.” > > *The New York Times > <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/19/opinion/saudi-arabias-duplicitous-legalism.html>* > and > even MSNBC > <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/saudi-oppression-counter-terrorism-law> reported > on the Saudi crackdown. Petraeus, in spite of—or perhaps, because of—his > influence and contacts in the region, was silent. But he was happy to talk > about his new position at KKR, as he did at the Aspen Ideas conference > <http://www.aspenideas.org/sites/default/files/transcripts/Conversation%20with%20David%20Petraeus%20and%20Bob%20Schieffer.pdf> > on > June 30, 2014. Here’s a bit of the transcript: > > GEN. PATRAEUS: Well, I’m very fortunate frankly. I’m embarked in a > portfolio of activities that are intellectually stimulating and rewarding, > enjoyable. I’m the chairman of the Global Institute of KKR. It’s like being > the director of the CIA for a global financial firm with a lot smaller > staff, I might add. > > SCHIEFFER: But a lot higher compensation, I would guess? > > GEN. PATRAEUS: Well, as the villainous prime minister in the British House > of Cards used to say, you might say that – I couldn’t possibly comment. > (Laughter) > > Petraus Brought In as the Middle East Melts > > Meanwhile, the Middle East private equity market that KKR had entered so > optimistically was throwing up barriers, according to KKR MENA head Kaveh > Samie in a September 2014 *Wall Street Journal* interview > <http://blogs.wsj.com/middleeast/2014/09/15/qa-with-kkrs-mena-head-kaveh-samie/>. > > Valuations were set unrealistically high by the mostly family-owned local > companies, who didn’t trust these foreign investment firms trying to enter > the market. Layers of bureaucracy and regulations got in the way, including > requirements for foreigners to hold only minority ownerships. KKR found it > had entered a moribund deal market > <http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/51e7f922-cb1b-11e5-a8ef-ea66e967dd44.html#axzz48ptRoFzQ> > in > the Gulf. Property prices and bank liquidity were dropping, dragged down by > the global dive in oil prices. > > KKR began targeting family wealth firms around the globe. Reporters > publicized Petraeus’s role as a kind of KKR secret weapon. > > Nonetheless, Petraeus was made a partner at KKR > <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/us/after-washington-petraeus-is-under-radar-but-not-out-of-spotlight.html?_r=0> > in > December 2014, right before the full impact of America’s fracking boom hit > the economies of Middle Eastern oil and gas producers. > > In a search for investors for its funds, KKR began targeting family wealth > firms around the globe. Reporters publicized Petraeus’s role as a kind of > KKR secret weapon. In May 2015, Bloomberg reported “KKR Rolls Out > Petraeus in $4 Trillion Hunt for Family Wealth > <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-26/kkr-rolls-out-petraeus-in-hunt-for-4-trillion-of-family-wealth>.” > > In a mordantly amusing video at that link, Bloomberg’s Jason Kelly, > struggling to explain why KKR would bring Petraeus into a meeting to raise > money for a KKR fund, called him “a highly connected, global guy and he > tells great stories…it’s a soft sell.” > > Trump began his campaign the following month, and made his statement about > a temporary ban on Muslim immigration in December 2015. The Middle East > elites went ballistic. Government and business leaders in Dubai and Saudi > Arabia threatened to pull their money out if Trump is elected. In December > 2015, influential Dubai billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor published an op-ed > (“Ignore > Trump’s bigotry at your peril > <http://www.arabianbusiness.com/dubai-s-khalaf-al-habtoor-ignore-trump-s-bigotry-at-your-peril-615169.html#.VzqntTdrj-c>”) > > condemning Trump and stating, “In light of the danger this person > represents, I would urge the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic > Cooperation (IOC) to issue condemnatory statements forthwith and all Arab > leaders to consider placing Trump and anyone connected with his campaign or > businesses on a blacklist.” On May 4, Habtoor called Trump “very > dangerous” and a “loose cannon.” > <http://gulfbusiness.com/trump-is-a-loose-cannon-senior-dubai-businessman/#.Vzq1rjdrj-c> > > Government and business leaders in Dubai and Saudi Arabia threatened to > pull their money out if Trump is elected. > > Tensions were also escalating across multiple issues with the Saudis. > Saudi lobbyists furiously opposed the release of the redacted 28 pages of > the “9/11 Commission Report” that allegedly implicated certain Saudis in > the 9/11 attack. In April, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir threatened > a sell-off of $750 billion in securities and assets before they could be > frozen if the United States passed a bill stripping Saudis of immunity to > lawsuits by 9/11 surviving families. > > On May 6, one week before Petraeus’s op-ed was published, Saudi Prince > Turki al-Faisal warned against > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/prince-turki-donald-trump_us_572c1fd2e4b096e9f090e769> > Trump’s > effect on U.S.-Saudi relations. According to the *Washington Post > <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/04/20/saudi-government-has-vast-network-of-pr-lobby-firms-in-u-s/>*, > > the Saudis have recently spent millions with public relations and lobbying > firms to silence critics in the United States. The bill removing the > Saudi’s immunity from lawsuits passed the Senate on May 16. > > Context counts. > Capitalizing On a Government Career > > The *Washington Post* opinion editor’s initial instinct to include > Petraeus’s KKR affiliation was the right one, and it’s a shame Petraeus > asked for its removal. The incident follows a well-worn path. In > Washington, reputation is the drug of choice, dealt on every corner of the > K Street lobbying corridor. > > In Washington, reputation is the drug of choice, dealt on every corner of > the K Street lobbying corridor. > > The typical case: a highly placed official with a sterling reputation > retires, someone whose career gave him contacts with foreign governments > and foreign business leaders. His reputation has a respectable public part, > his resume, and a valuable private part, his contacts, especially foreign > contacts who control emerging markets and have money to spend on lobbying. > When this useful individual speaks at conferences or publishes an op-ed or > testifies before the Senate, his past resume is all that is presented when > he is introduced as a speaker or summarized in a Washington Post “ID” > accompanying his op-ed. > > But his current employers, partners, and clients? Not disclosed, and > neither K Street customs nor government regulations require the disclosure. > If his speech, op-ed, or testimony just happens to align with the interests > of his employers, partners, clients? That’s a serendipitous coincidence, an > irrelevancy. As KKR stated, “General Petraeus regularly writes in his > private capacity.” > > Anyway, what difference does it make? The rules are clear. If you’re > inside the Beltway, you already knew, and you have no need to know if > you’re anywhere else. > > Christine Brim is a founder of Paratos LLC, a risk communications > consultancy. Previously she served at the Center for Security Policy as a > vice president and chief operating officer. > > > > -- > > > > __._,_.___ > ------------------------------ > Posted by: "Beowulf" <[email protected] <javascript:>> > ------------------------------ > > > Visit Your Group > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/grendelreport/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJmZnBvb2RnBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMTk0ODA2BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTMyMzY2NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzE0NjM3MjAzMDI-> > > > > [image: Yahoo! 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