There are legal, diplomatic, pragmatic, and civil rights reasons why such a designation would undermine efforts to keep Americans safe from terrorism.
- The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) does not fit the legal definition of a foreign terrorist organization. There is no credible evidence that, as an organization, it is using violence to pursue political aims, and it has not deliberately targeted Americans.
- The few offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood that have become violent—Hamas, Hassm, Liwa al-Thawra—have already been designated as terrorist organizations. Designating the Muslim Brotherhood more broadly would not give the United States added tools to go after these groups.
- Sweepingly targeting the Muslim Brotherhood would create a cascade of diplomatic problems because political parties with Brotherhood roots serve in parliaments and even governments in many countries. But even a narrower designation of a single Muslim Brotherhood chapter, such as the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, would still do just as much damage to U.S. interests for all the reasons that follow.
- U.S. law does not permit designation based only on ideology rather than violent actions. To do so would politicize the process.
- By joining countries (for example, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E.) that designate groups as terrorist for political reasons, the United States would tarnish the international legitimacy of its other designations and erode the credibility of its counterterrorism efforts.
- Anti-U.S. sentiment among Muslims worldwide would rise. Most Muslims around the world would see the designation as the latest of a series of anti-Muslim steps by the Trump administration, such as the travel ban and the changed U.S. policy on Jerusalem. The U.S. president already stands accused of stoking Islamophobia internationally.
- The self-proclaimed Islamic State and al-Qaeda would celebrate such a designation as vindication of their argument that non-violent political activity is futile. They would use the designation in their efforts to recruit desperate and isolated Islamist youth, who once believed in peaceful politics.
- Designation could bring devastating consequences for Muslims in the United States, who currently make up less than 2 percent of the population. Anyone suspected of ties to the organization could risk having their assets frozen, or could be deported if they are not citizens. Islamophobic groups—with contacts inside the Trump administration—would press the FBI to investigate every U.S. mosque or Muslim charity for possible ties to Muslim Brotherhood-supported hospitals, clinics, and religious organizations throughout the world.
- Designating the Muslim Brotherhood would inevitably divert U.S. counterterrorism resources away from the real terrorists that are actually seeking to kill Americans, such as branches of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
In the end, designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization would be a counterproductive political stunt that would make all Americans less safe.
Comments(14)
None of the reasons cited above are based in fact. None of them have references. All of them espouse fear that protecting our nation will be uncomfortable for some people. Protection from evil doers ALWAYS creates risks.
@Daniel C. Ashley : Structurally speaking, just think about what happened in Europe during the Years of Lead : you had the Brigate Rosse, Action Directe, Rote Armee Fraktion, Cellules communistes combattantes (CCC), GRAPO, etc etc, doing terrorist actions... But in fact, all were the KGB's puppets while communist parties, with the help of Kremlin's funding, worked at undermining the society, acted as spies, etc etc etc... In most of cases, the Ikhwan acts just like the KGB, using useful idiots on the behalf of well known terrorism funding states... Well, you add the bigotic side which will add mosques and Muslim schools and association as recruiting grounds, especially in order to push children of the youngest age into radicalism, as it was recently stated in Philadelphia and can be seen in any of Gaza's kindergarten, this is absolutely the same pattern KGB used and as soon as the USSR fell, so did far left terrorism. Now these are nowhere near having the power the USSR had... But, since one of the Ikhwan's function is the funding of Jihad through money collected in our countries to be used against us, let's be clear : when they say they have no link with violent groups, it's just like when Iran pretends not being linked to Houthis... This is Taqiyya (deception) or Kitman (hiding the truth) : ALL our a$$es are on the line, period! I 100% agree w. you when you say "All of them espouse fear that protecting our nationS (I'm not USan) will be uncomfortable for some people." Nevertheless, banning the Ikhwan seems not having created more troubles for KSA, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Syria, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan than they already had. In fact, strangely, there are less terrorist activities, except in Egypt, but, how funny, it's centered mostly around Rafah (Gaza border) and Gaza is ran by Ikhwan AKA Hamas here... And Hamas is funded by? Qatar, Iran and Turkey... In fact, you always find this trio linked to such very dubious activities. Pakistan also has very disturbing activities, al-Bashir's Sudan was very sulfurous while, hopefully, one well known very rich Arab state seem to have pulled the plug since a young prince is in charge. With USA designating Ikhwan as FTO, it's obvious that since ALL of EU's intelligence agencies already warning EU's lukewarm politicians for several decades, these will grow balls, then Ikhwan will maybe grow restless at the beginning, but will soon suffocate and see the plot ruined.
What do you expect from a globalist website. Carnegie Endowment for international peace is actually pro war.
يعتبر معظم المسلمين لا سيما غير العرب ان جماعة الإخوان تمثل الإسلام الصحيح المعتدل كما تعتبر حسن أمام مجدد ذو نظرة احيائية تنويرية لذلك سوف يشعر غالبية المسلمين بالمرارة من هكذا قرارفضلا عن تعاظم الكراهية للولايات المتحدة في اوساط المسلمين الذين يعتبرون ان هذا القرار ضد الدين الإسلامي وانحيازا الصهيونية والاستبداد. ر
لقد ثبت أن جماعة الإخوان المسلمين مرتبطة بالإرهابيين الإسلاميين. هذه حقيقة وحقائق لا تهتم بمشاعرك.
Most Muslim Arabs and non-Arabs consider the Muslim Brotherhood as a moderate and moderate Islam. Sheikh Hassan Al-Banna is a modern thinker with a realistic view. Therefore, the majority of Muslims will feel bitter about this decision as well as the growing hatred of the United States among Muslims who consider this decision against Islam and Zionism And tyranny.
Against Islam and the decision is a bias towards Zionism and tyranny
@maged nsem : Strangely, Saudi-Arabia also banned the Ikhwan! So, KSA is against Islam? Were they so, they would demolish the Ka'aba and vaporise the Black Stone, making the Hajj impossible and so putting an end to Islam since the Hajj is one of the 5 pillars of this cult! Anti-Zionism = Anti-Semitism, period! And don't tell us about the artificially created so-called 'Paestinian people'! The are 'normal Arabs' that have been deliberately packed into Judea-Samaria, including by some Brit-Mandate officials who rejected the Balfour agreement. In 1918, there were only about 15,000 Arabs living west of Jordan river, half weren't even born there. The Arab world is 13,132,327 km² big, Israel including Judea-Samaria, Gaza and Golan Heights is less than 30,000km². Zionism is the excuse of your alikes! All those who ended into troubles with Israel asked for these troubles! It's bizarre that KSA banning the Ikhwan is not seen as an issue, and same for UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Syria, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, BUT... When USA considers to do so, what do we see? Both Iran and Turkey, 2 well known rogue states becoming vocal, and all the usual Qatari lobbying means becoming active like never before. This is no surprise for me : An internal Muslim Brotherhood document entered by the FBI as evidence in a terror-funding case states the organization’s “work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and [Allah’s] religion is made victorious over all other religions." Sorry that posting weblinks is rejected here : I found another internal document caught by French DGSI (homeland security, FKA DST/RG or DCRI) which CLEARLY points the Brotherhood's strategy which is absolutely similar to what KGB used to do to undermine the West, added to this, the money-gathering to fund JIHAD and the recruiting and logistics to move jihadists where action happens. The Ikhwan rarely implies directly in violent acts, except in Israel (Hamas), Syria, Egypt, but usually provides political, financial, moral and eventually logistical support to radical groups, even if money-donors most of the time will believe they're giving money to some charity NGO. They may even pose as normal political parties, just like in Turkey or Tunisia, but the goal is always the same...
Logical, reasonable and practical analysis.
One of the better explanations I've seen regarding the positions of Palestinians and Arabs and all the other groups (tribes) in the Middle East since before Mohammed. If we keep going back far enough, Moses's 5th book Deuteronomy tells of the tribes that Josiah should attack. He must hit the smaller ones because the bigger tribes would destroy the Israelites (Israelis). Too many people have forgotten or never knew that the Palestinian land was occupied. Jews took the same attitudes before and after World War II to gain possession of all of it. Neytanyahu is still trying to gain the total possession as his father had wished but died trying. The Muslim Brotherhood was developed years before WWII according to Tajid (sp) Ramadan via his father in the 20's. The West may not like some of their ideas and teachings but it is none of our business. The people themselves can think if they wish to follow the Brotherhood. A few do but most don't by the time they become 16-20 years old. The Brotherhood and Hezbollah are both political parties. The latter works as an aid to Lebanon's Army. That's the way the Lebanese wanted it in the early 2000's. Mr. Trump and our ignorant Congress needs to brush up on what they are talking or they will have more than they can handle and wonder why.
They're all lies and ignore the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood has known ties to terrorists.
Which Muslim countries have already declared the Muslim Brotherhood to be a terrorist organization?
Exactly the above statement is a Fact. so how can eradicate the further escalating and fueling among peace seekers secure life from THE FACTS OF THE THREATS ? by these base fact is considerable as “(a,b,c,d,e)” a) Must need to STOP exploitation on and among “have and have not” (The people of poverty and ignorance) as well as misinterpretation of islamic prospects by Political base, and some diplomatic level financial fund as well as below stated grass root system. b) The wealthy countries were fueled on possible plots to aim to produce Fire without smoke using BASED ON BIO METRIC WITH AI THROUGH SYBER TACTIC. b1) Using bio metric and AI employers were creating Victims (Like....) and Fishing to get required aims as they instructed as like was the preliminary Goal. c) The above stated notes are happening very Brutely and Fately on innocent employees BY Employers primary and grass root carrier for targeted aim for creating flame without smoke. d) The above notes are furnished by solid and stable power of authorities so that it will remain their confidential and there own rights on employees as well as. e) SO TRY TO CONCENTRATE ON (a) and REMEDY ? IF POSSIBLE REMEDY FOR THE PEACE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD ?.
As a Muslim, I thank you for the refreshing input. The ideology of Muslim brotherhood is for the betterment of society ( there are no religious association that promotes otherwise). However, because it is carried out by humans, and we all make mistakes, the best ideas can be seen as murderous. Everyone has different reasons for the ban of Ikhwan, hence we should work together with a neutral mindset for international peace.
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