Newsweek: How Trump Is Fueling ISIS

Terrorist groups issue propaganda to identify and recruit marginalized citizens of developed nations. The United States is now making such recruiting easy with attempts to ban immigrants from six Muslim-majority nations and interrogating Muslims, even citizens, who enter the United States. “…. counterterrorism experts have understood that countering … propaganda has been among the most essential parts of the fight against ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other murderous jihadi extremists,” explains Kurt Eichenwald for Newsweek. “….the United States has worked to expose the lies and convince young Muslims drawn by the propaganda toward hate that they are welcome and appreciated in America. President Donald Trump, in office for less than two months, has gutted the strategy used by Republicans and Democrats alike – out of ignorance, hubris or both – sending a new message from the White House, one that reinforces the jihadi extremists’ propaganda and increases the likelihood that more Americans will die in attacks.” Messages from US leaders are repeated globally, and specialists warn that countering jihad requires a range of military, cultural, linguistic, pattern recognition and social media skills. Conservative politicians have exaggerated the numbers of would-be jihadists entering the United States. Eichenwald urges political leaders to understand that Muslims, a diverse group, are “the most important allies” in the fight against extremists and that more Muslims are victims of extremism than non-Muslims. Eichenwald concludes that the reckless and tough talk is not about common sense and will backfire if leaders do not understand the history and principles of Islam. – YaleGlobal