CIA Says Muslims Join ISIS Because of … Economics

[pr126]

CIA Says Muslims Join ISIS Because of … Economics

Almost one year ago to the day, however, at the same Council of Foreign Relations gathering, Brennan did explain what makes Muslims from all around the world join the Islamic jihad (then under the rubric of “Al-Qaeda”).   After assuring all in attendance that al-Qaeda’s ideology is “a perverse and very corrupt interpretation of the Qur’an”; that “al-Qaeda has hijacked” Islam; that “they have really distorted the teachings of Muhammad”â€"Brennan still confirmed that, even so “that ideology, that agenda of al-Qaeda has gained resonance and following in many parts of the world.”

When asked why such a “perverse and very corrupt” understanding of Islamâ€"one that has “distorted the teachings of Muhammad”â€"so resonates among Muslims, the CIA responded by saying that it was being “fed a lot of times by, you know, political repression, by economic, you know, disenfranchisement, by, you know, lack of education and ignorance, so thereâ€"there are a number of phenomena right now that I think are fueling the fires of, you know, this ideology.”

Interestingly, if you watch the video clip of Brennan’s speech, you will note that he only “you knows” in the above quotation (four times) and right before it, when he says that al-Qaeda has “distorted the teachings of Muhammad, you know, for violent purposes.”

Video here

A final point of interest.  This widespread tendency to project Western cultural explanations onto non-Western people is the height of arrogance and ethnocentrismâ€"precisely what progressives and multiculturalists constantly warn against. Yet the irony is that such “open-minded” proponents of cultural relativism are also the ones most prone to ignore Islamic teachings. When Brennan, Harf et al insist that jihadis are really not motivated by religion but rather are products of political, economic, and social forces, is this total dismissal of the “other” and his peculiar motivations (in favor of familiar, Western paradigms) not the epitome of cultural arrogance?

Ah, yes. That pesky socio-economics.
But why only Muslims? Are there no other people in the world affected by poverty?

[stromboli]

All I can say is that kill somebody or blow yourself up is not on my list of life choices.

[Brian37]

Climate scientists say that if we don't cap CO2 desperation will be in every country. People join causes because  they get dangled utopia carrots, the truth about our species is no one wants to accept labels are bullshit. Humans want the same thing, power and a sense of control over their lives.

Every revolution in human history is caused by the same thing, a lack of resources.

[Mike Cl]

Climate scientists say that if we don't cap CO2 desperation will be in every country. People join causes because  they get dangled utopia carrots, the truth about our species is no one wants to accept labels are bullshit. Humans want the same thing, power and a sense of control over their lives.

Every revolution in human history is caused by the same thing, a lack of resources.

Say it ain't so Joe--but I'm afraid  you are right.  When a large number of people feel they have nothing to lose is when they are the most dangerous.  Ideology is very important, but economics are the foundation of just about everything.  I find the following very worrisome. :

As the World Economic Forum begins in Davos, Switzerland, Oxfam International has released a new report called, “Working for the Few,” that contains some startling statistics on what it calls the “growing tide of inequality.”

The report states:

Almost half of the world’s wealth is now owned by just one percent of the population.
The wealth of the one percent richest people in the world amounts to $110 trillion. That’s 65 times the total wealth of the bottom half of the world’s population.
The bottom half of the world’s population owns the same as the richest 85 people in the world.
Seven out of ten people live in countries where economic inequality has increased in the last 30 years.
The richest one percent increased their share of income in 24 out of 26 countries for which we have data between 1980 and 2012.
In the US, the wealthiest one percent captured 95 percent of post-financial crisis growth since 2009, while the bottom 90 percent became poorer.

This was lifted from Forbes.