December 31, 2004

Read "Counterproductive Counterterrorism: How Anti-Islamic Rhetoric is Impeding America's Homeland Security"

Executive Summary:

In order to enhance the security of our country, it is necessary to expose the vocal minority of Americans who continue to exploit the tragedy of September 11 to advance their pre-existing anti-Muslim agenda. MPAC presents this case study on Steve Emerson with the purpose of rebutting anti-Islamic rhetoric so that the vital voice of American Muslims can be included within counterterrorism discourse.

Several myths abound regarding the role of American Muslims in counterterrorism policy, the most prominent and problematic of which paints the American Muslim community as a threat to America's national security. In fact, the American Muslim community is an asset to law enforcement in their shared goal to root out terrorism and extremism. The source of suspicion of American Muslims stems from false accusations of American Muslim organizations. One representation of that scapegoating is Steve Emerson's 2003 book "American Jihad."

The commercially lucrative counterterrorism expert industry has done a great disservice to American counterterrorism policy interests. For-profit special interest groups have waged a campaign to malign the reputation of all major voices representing American Muslims with the intention of relegating them to the margins of public discourse.

Steve Emerson and his Investigative Project are among those who scapegoat American Muslims, rather than provide constructive counterterrorism policy. Through this process, American Muslims are excluded from the formation of counterterrorism policy, depriving America from an experienced and knowledgeable segment of our pluralism. MPAC's National Grassroots Campaign to Fight Terrorism, and its 15-year relationship with local, regional and national law enforcement officials are examples of what is needed to successfully combat terrorism.

Emerson's sloppy, ad-hoc investigative journalism results in the portrayal of a monolithic American Muslim community that is sourced in fiction. Emerson's lack of precision leads him to conflate legitimate organizations that can help America and secure the homeland with others that are neither genuinely American nor transparent.

For the U.S. to embark upon successful policy-making in a post-9/11 era, we must ensure that those who are relied upon for knowledge have the requisite expertise, experience, and nuanced outlook. Steve Emerson, and those who engage in terrorism profiteering, fail this litmus test and have caused our vision for effective counterterrorism policy to be blurred.

Read our response to criticism of "Counterproductive Counterterrorism".