An Irish American U.S. military officer who had been teaching that Islam in general is America's enemy has had his class canceled.
U.S. officials has stressed repeatedly over the last decade that the U.S. is at war with Islamic extremists, but not the religion itself.
"They hate everything you stand for and will never coexist with you, unless you submit," one course instructor, Army Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Dooley reportedly said in a presentation last July at Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. The college teaches midlevel officers and government civilians on subjects related to planning and executing war.
In departure from military guidelines Dooley also presumed, for the purposes of his theoretical war plan, that the standards of the Geneva Conventions were "no longer relevant."
Statements from the suspended course included:
- They hate everything you stand for and will never coexist with you, unless you submit.
- Islam as it currently defines itself is an ideology rather than solely a religion with the normally associated protections we afford such beliefs.
- It is therefore time for the United States to make our true intentions clear. This barbaric ideology will no longer be tolerated. Islam must change or we will facilitate its self-destruction.
- The United States has come to accept that radical ‘true Islam’ is both a political and military enemy to free people throughout the world.
- Possible outcomes of an anti-Islam campaign: 'Saudi Arabia threatened with starvation, Mecca and Medina destroyed, Islam reduced to cult status.'
- The only solution for the United States might ultimately might be to obliterate the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina without regard for civilian deaths, just as the US had done in Hiroshima and the allied forces had firebombed Dresden
Dooley added: "This would leave open the option once again of taking war to a civilian population wherever necessary (the historical precedents of Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki being applicable…)."
A copy of the suspended course was posted online by Wired.com's Danger Room blog. Dooley still works for the college, but is no longer teaching, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Martin Dempsey told the press.
After generating outrage with his comments Dooley refused to talk to the Associated Press, saying "Can’t talk to you, sir," and hanging up when reached by telephone at his office Thursday.
Dooley was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation from West Point in May 1994. He served in overseas tours in Germany, Bosnia, Kuwait and Iraq and has numerous awards including a Bronze Star Medal, the fourth-highest military award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service.
In Dooley's model campaign to force a transformation of Islam he called for "a direct ideological and philosophical confrontation with Islam," presuming that Islam is an ideology rather than just a religion. Dooley also asserted that Islam has already declared war on the West, and on the US specifically.
"It is therefore illogical" to continue with the current U.S. strategy which presumes there is a way of finding common ground with Islamic religious leaders without "waging near total war" Dooley wrote.
The course on Islam was an elective that was taught since 2004. It was offered five times a year with about 20 students each time which means that roughly 800 students have taken the course over the years.
According to the Marine Corps Times, when the Pentagon heard of the officers remarks it suspended the course in late April, shortly after a student objected to the material being taught. The FBI also changed some agent training courses last year after discovering that they were also critical of Islam.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelb | May 14, 2012, 08:01 PM EDT
Some Muslims want an Islamic world as do some Christians want a Christian world or as some Jews..... and so on. None of them will succeed.
peterson | May 14, 2012, 06:27 PM EDT
Wasn't it the Muslims who destroyed the World Trade Center ????
peterson | May 14, 2012, 06:25 PM EDT
Islam intends to take over the world. They have even admitted this. " Colonel Dooley is right on target.
seanomelb | May 13, 2012, 08:19 PM EDT
The insignia on American and British planes has not changed even though they bombed thousands of men women and children. whats your point dean?
jimod4343 | May 13, 2012, 06:08 PM EDT
George Dillon, It's you that are the utter nutter, not Dooley. I know that you have never been near the Middle East/Saudi region merely by your comment. Pay a visit (they probably won't let you in, and if they do, they won't let you out), and see how your attitude changes.
jimod4343 | May 13, 2012, 06:00 PM EDT
Yep, I find it refreshing to see the truth finally stated. I had the misfortune to work in Saudi some years ago, before it was such a big issue. I felt a palpable sense of evil in that place, and warned people in the West of what was coming. Of course I was ignored - but have now been proven right.
merefalow | May 13, 2012, 05:37 PM EDT
pipermack 52.spot on,fundamentalist Islam is a danger to all freedom loving peoples.read it,understand it,and go and experience it in action.frightening medieval throwback religion ,just like early witch, heretic burning superstitious control freak christianity,theocratic priest ridden nightmare.
Bythebay | May 13, 2012, 01:09 PM EDT
Very funny to see US posters here spewing their bigotry about Ireland's multiculturalism and cordiality with Northern Ireland and England while denouncing the same vile bigotry in your armed forces and country. As two faced as it gets.
ciaradexy | May 13, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT
Anyone who takes the bible literally is just as bad! An eye for an eye?? get a grip!
billie061 | May 13, 2012, 06:43 AM EDT
Seanomelb is correct religious bigotry must be stopped, how many wars were the result of this bigotry. including Ireland. Hatred and bigotry are plagues.
GeorgeDillon | May 13, 2012, 02:49 AM EDT
This guy is an utter nutter. It's frightening to think we have people like him in positions of leadership in our armed forces.
dickmac | May 12, 2012, 11:56 PM EDT
The Quoran states that Christians & Jews are infedils and not worthy of life
sirpeter | May 12, 2012, 08:22 PM EDT
The Muslims use hateful words and Christians use bombs.Last time I looked we are winning on body count.A thousand to one I'd say.
seanomelb | May 12, 2012, 07:09 PM EDT
teaching religious bigotry anywhere must be stopped.
PiperMac52 | May 12, 2012, 06:53 PM EDT
He IS right and this is PC gone wold. Anyone who reads the Qur'an and takes what it says literally would have to agree. It is an expansionist/totalitarian ideology wrapped in a religion. It is the antitheses of Democratic government and therefore not compatible. Sharia must reign in the eyes of true practicing Muslims.
JBRAFTREE | May 12, 2012, 06:46 PM EDT
He's right!!
NARROWBACK | May 12, 2012, 06:26 PM EDT
Eamonn12 this site is run by the Irish Voice and Irish America magazine which are produced in America making it an American site reporting on Irish American news
Bythebay | May 12, 2012, 05:23 PM EDT
Dooley's students recognized Dooley's Islamophobia, his superiors agreed with them. Students were smarter than the so-called teacher and they were rational enough to recognize his hatred and bigotry. Glad to see a full investigation of him has been ordered.
kilkennymanc | May 12, 2012, 04:37 PM EDT
to many spineless politicians in government
Murph46 | May 12, 2012, 04:01 PM EDT
Springfield9-no mixing words for you,you get right on!Short,sweet,simple so even bythebay can understand!
jmccarten | May 12, 2012, 03:08 PM EDT
This Army officer is right. Millions of Islamist's take to the streets on a regular basis and chant "Death to America" it does not take a genius to figure out who your enemies are. Another example of political correctness run amuck.
Springfield9 | May 12, 2012, 01:57 PM EDT
Islam is fine. Sharia Law is what gets them in trouble. Give it your own test - drop Olivia Wylde in a bag and she if she's till cute.
Bythebay | May 12, 2012, 01:50 PM EDT
Eamonn12, I don't think he's in Ireland. None of the Irish cable companies carry Fox News.
Nicomax | May 12, 2012, 01:38 PM EDT
He had a poor lesson plan, and thus is no longer a professor. It happens quite often. He can seek to become a political commentator. Send resume to Fox News, NYC.
Eamonn12 | May 12, 2012, 01:10 PM EDT
Why in the world in this story about an American doing on an Irish site?
Seanmor | May 12, 2012, 12:53 PM EDT
During my 4 years of military service in the 60s, my fellow marines and I were reminded that the first time the U.S. flag was planted on foreign soil was in 1804 by Lt. Presley O'Bannon on the Tripoli Coast, where American forces defeated the Barbery pirates. Hence "the shores of Tripoli" are mebtioned in the first line of the Marine Corps Hymn. During this campaign the viveroy of the Aottoman Empire presentedto to Lt O'Bannon the Mameluke sword, a variety of whick is still worn by Marine Corps officers. Not all Muslims are enemies of the U.S. but some are our foes to the extreme.
Bythebay | May 12, 2012, 12:44 PM EDT
He's American and no connection whatsoever to Ireland.
ciaradexy | May 12, 2012, 12:02 PM EDT
Phew! glad hes american and not irish!
occassio | May 12, 2012, 11:59 AM EDT
bogsidebunny, wilhoef | President Obama did NOT surrender. He was legally committed to follow the Bush administration schedule for troop withdrawal. And that he did. As far as Islam is concerned, it is a monotheistic religion based on revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. There are extremists who have chosen to interpret Islam according to their own warped sense of justice and have separated themselves from peaceful, dedicated practice of Islam as a personal religion. Just as some Christians did during nearly 300 years of crusades and as did the Roman Catholic Church during the Inquisition. Religion always has had sub-rosa purposes and actions which have been political and social rather than religious. However, it is unfair and blatantly arrogant to paint Islam or any religion with a single brush without the benefit of study and critical thought. Army Lieutenant Colonel Dooley may have had good intentions, but would have been better served to have swung his teaching to valid education rather than his personal rants. The world has become smaller. We share it with other peoples, cultures and religions. We will never learn about the rest of the world in which we live if we continue to live in a bubble, spewing hate and being fractious.
89west | May 12, 2012, 11:37 AM EDT
Only in America can we have islamo fanatics kill innocent people in the name of allah and have the government and media react by fretting that muslims might be harmed by the backlash.
wilhoef | May 12, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT
Three cheers for Lieutenant Colonel Dooley!!!
jamthecat | May 12, 2012, 09:52 AM EDT
Just like Christianity, huh, bogsidebunny? After all, history shows perfectly well how dangerous, vicious, murderous, misogynistic, and now becoming communistic the Christian ideology has been. I find it amazing that you think Mitt Romney, a Mormon who never met a position he couldn't change his mind on, will make this right when most "christian" religions consider Mormons to be little more than a dangerous cult.
bogsidebunny | May 12, 2012, 09:07 AM EDT
The officer was teaching that Islam is (correctly) NOT a legitimate RELIGION, but merely a very dangerous, vicious, murderous, misogynistic IDEOLOGY. It's the Politically Correct Liberal Progressive regime of President Obama which drove the U.S. army to surrender. Hopefull, the course will be revived after the election and Mitt Romney is president.