Islamic jihadists routinely link Islam with violent jihad. In all their communiques and all their appeals for support, and in all their attempts to recruit peaceful Muslims, they invoke the Qur’an and Muhammad. The fact that this is controversial and still being discussed fifteen years after 9/11 is an indication of how deep the denial, and how serious the crisis, is in Washington.

“Pentagon still unsure whether to link Islam & violent Jihad,” by Hillel Fendel, Israel National News, October 7, 2016 (thanks to David):

Staffers in various departments in the Pentagon (the U.S. Defense Department) are busy preparing a document known as the National Military Strategy – but have not yet come to an agreement on at least one critical point regarding the worldwide terror threat.

The biennial document, intended for senior U.S. military commanders around the world, sets out big picture strategy guidance in light of the myriad threats they may face in the line of duty. This is the first one prepared under the guidance of Gen. Joseph Dunford, who took office as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff exactly a year ago.

The debate taking place at present concerns whether or not to clearly specify the strong connection between extremist Islam and terrorism.

Staffers of the Special Operations Command (SoCom) in the Pentagon believe that the report must note that Salafi jihadism is the branch of Sunni Islam that is responsible for most global terrorism in the world today. Salafi jihadism is the ideology shared by the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

“Pretending there is no relationship between the violent jihadists and Islam isn’t going to win,” a source knowledgeable about the National Military Strategy told The Washington Times. “We’re completely ignoring the war of ideas. We’re still in denial. We’re pretending the enemy doesn’t exist.”

The source said that the issue cannot be viewed only in terms of those who believe in active violence: “It’s a much bigger problem, because it’s not just the violent jihadists; it’s the non-violent jihadists who support them.”

SoCom is the branch of the military charged with hunting down and killing terrorists. Countering its opinion, Gen. Dunford’s staff is reportedly not convinced that the term “Salafi jihadism” should be included in the report.…