“Naming Names” Stephen Schwartz distorts, misrepresents and obscures the report

September 23, 2005

The Weekly Standard
1150 17th Street, NW, Suite 505
Washington, DC 20036

To the Editor of the Weekly Standard:

In his article “Naming Names” Stephen Schwartz distorts, misrepresents and obscures the findings of an important report on Islamic Extremism issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Before examining the details of Mr. Schwartz’s transgressions, it may be useful to present the background of this report. The report is the result of a specific request from several senior Members of Congress. In time-honored tradition, these members sought to enlist the support of the GAO by directing it to answer specific questions that were couched in such a way as to prompt the desired response. Also in time-honored tradition, the GAO sidestepped the political maneuvering in order to produce a fair, balanced and useful report on an important subject.

Unswayed by the actual report, Mr. Schwartz simply distorts its text to suit his own opinions. For example, Mr. Schwartz says, “In the view of the GAO, "Islamic extremism" as a broad category "is the pre-eminent threat to U.S. interests" (GAO-05-852 Islamic Extremism at 1.) --rather than al Qaeda, which is a single exemplar of the phenomenon.” The report actually states, “Some U.S. officials and experts believe that Islamic extremism, rather than al Qaeda—the organization responsible for the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001—is the pre-eminent threat to U.S. interests.” (Emphasis added). Beginning a common theme, Mr. Schwartz characterizes opinions of government officials and outside “experts” as the findings of the GAO.

Without leaving the first paragraph of the article, Mr. Schwartz delivers another whopper. As the cause of Islamic extremism, he says, “the document forthrightly identifies the main threat: the Wahhabi cult that is the state religion in Saudi Arabia.” Here is what the report actually identifies as the causes of Islamic extremism:

“The Defense Intelligence Agency and other experts agree that the rise in Islamic extremism stems from various factors, including economic stagnation; a disproportionate concentration of population in the 15- to 29-year-old range (“youth bulges”), especially in most Middle Eastern countries; repressive and corrupt governments; and anti-Western sentiments, particularly due to negative perceptions of the United States’ foreign policy. In addition, various sources alleged that Saudi Arabia is one source that has supported and funded the spread of Islamic extremism globally.”(Ibid.)

In a tour de force of distortion, Mr. Schwartz hits the high pitch of his diatribe with,

“The report cites government and nongovernmental sources attesting that "Saudi funding and export of a particular version of Islam that predominates in Saudi Arabia has had the effect . . . of promoting the growth of religious extremism globally." The GAO links official agencies of the Saudi regime such as the Muslim World League (MWL), the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), and the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO), along with privately sponsored charities and educational foundations, to "the global propagation of religious intolerance, hatred of Western values, and support to terrorist activities."

The actual words of the report:

“Various government and nongovernment sources report that Saudi funding and export of a particular version of Islam that predominates in Saudi Arabia has had the effect, whether intended or not, [note that Mr. Schwartz excised this phrase] of promoting the growth of religious extremism globally. In the 1960s, funding of religious outreach activities overseas became a central feature of Saudi policy through organizations such as the Muslim World League and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth. Activities of these organizations include providing medicine and food and building mosques, schools, and shelters. The Saudi donations to support its aid efforts and the spread of its religious ideology come from public and private sources and are channeled through a variety of foundations and middlemen to recipients around the world.” (Ibid at 6.)

I note at this point that the organization that I represent, the Friends of Charity Association (FOCA: www.foca.net), includes among its membership the Muslim World League, the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, and the International Islamic Relief Organization. FOCA was created to facilitate dialogue with governmental, media and academic organizations in the United States and to promote Best Practices among its members.

FOCA’s representatives have met with senior Bush administration officials to offer cooperation in the form of exchange of financial, human resource, organizational and other information about our members. Though these offers have been declined by the administration so far, we are actively cooperating in similar efforts with various members and committees of Congress. FOCA remains convinced that it is in the mutual interests of America and our members to address outstanding issues and unfounded accusations of terrorist support aggressively and forthrightly.

The Stephen Swartz article is an affront to the standards of American journalism and to The Weekly Standard. While I sometimes disagree with the opinions voiced in your journal, I usually respect the integrity of your effort. In this case, however, Mr. Schwartz has betrayed you by distorting the findings of an important government report to suit his own controversial views. I ask that you print a correction to this article and give me or some other representative an opportunity to rebut it on your pages.

Sincerely,

Wendell Belew

Via email to editor@weeklystandard.com

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