PHILADELPHIA – Feb. 22, 2017 – Six months ago, Donald Trump announced his intention to “establish a commission on radical Islam” early in his presidency, designed to investigate and explain the “core convictions and beliefs of radical Islam,” identify “warning signs of radicalization,” and expose “the networks in our society that support radicalization.”
In an effort to aid President Trump in implementing this pledge, the Middle East Forum has prepared a comprehensive plan (view online here or download here) for a White House Commission on Radical Islam.
Written by Christopher C. Hull, a former congressional staffer, the plan centers around:
· Structure: To be successful, the commission must consist of members selected by the president and have the power to subpoena documents, compel testimony, and grant immunity.
· Personnel: The commission should include a mix of experts on political violence, radical Islam, and technology; elected officials and members of the military, law enforcement, intelligence, and diplomatic communities; Muslim reformers; and victims of radical Islam.
· Mandate: The commission should expand on Trump’s commitment to explain the core convictions of Islamists, expose their networks, and develop new protocols for law enforcement. In addition, it should examine how to cut off resources flowing to Islamists; how to deny them use of the Internet; how to prevent them from crossing our borders; and how to prevent political correctness from impeding the fight against radical Islam.
· Implementation: To be effective, the commission must coordinate with federal agencies to gather data, draft executive orders and legislation, provide supporting documents, prepare requests for proposals, recommend personnel, and work out budgets.
The Forum plan emphasizes that the overall goal of the White House Commission on Radical Islam should be to bring the American people together around a common understanding of their adversary and how it can be defeated.
The Middle East Forum is dedicated to promoting American interests in the Middle East and protecting the West from Middle Eastern threats. It does so through intellectual, activist, and philanthropic efforts.
For more information, contact:
Laura Frank, Communications Director
Frank@MEForum.org
