Rep. Peter King: President Obama must move beyond political correctness to fight Islamists

by JIM KOURI, CPP October 23, 2012

While the Obama administration and many members of the elite news media appear confused as to the true nature of the national security threat posed by al-Qaeda, and its offshoots Al Shabaab, Boko Haram and al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula, Congressman Peter King (R-NY) appears to be the "go-to" lawmaker for all things involving Islamic terrorism. As evidenced by his appearances on CNN, Fox News Channel and interviews with reporters in the print media on Wednesday, King presents an alternative to the touchy-feely. politically correct anti-terrorism of President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, many within the law enforcement and intelligence communities say.

"Islamic terrorism is the most diabolical threat facing our nation today. No American ever wants to relive the attacks of 9/11. This is particularly true on Long Island where hundreds of our friends and neighbors were murdered on that horrific day," stated King in a statement on his web site.

In his statement, King noted that he and his Homeland Security Committee conducted a series of hearings on the extent of radicalization in the Muslim-American Community. "We must move beyond political correctness and address the root causes of how and why certain individuals are being radicalized here in the United States and participating in terrorist attacks against Americans," Rep. King noted.

On Mar. 10, 2011, King's House Homeland Security Committee held the first of several hearings that focused on the extent of radicalization in the Muslim-American Community and that community's response to these homegrown Islamists.

"At the hearing we heard from two individuals whose relatives became radicalized and were encouraged to commit jihad. We also heard from noted Islamic expert Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, the Founder and President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy," stated King.

That hearing was followed by three subsequent ones dealing with the threat of Muslim-American Radicalization in U.S. Prisons (Jun. 15, 2011), Recruitment and Radicalization within the Muslim-American Community by Al-Shabaab (Jul. 27, 2011), and a joint-hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee regarding the threat to military communities inside the United States as well as the threat from radicalized Muslims within our military (Dec. 7, 2011).

King concedes that he was heavily criticized by special interests and their allies in the media for conducting these and other hearings, but most Americans supported him according to polls.

"I stood by them because I knew they were the right thing to do to publicize and discuss this grave threat to Americans. That is why I have held additional hearings this year on the Hezbollah threat in the U.S. (Mar. 21, 2012) and the response of Muslim Americans to the radicalization hearings (Jun. 20, 2012). The outstanding witnesses at the June hearing were Dr. Jasser, Asra Nomani and Dr. Qanta Ahmed," King said.

As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, King pushed both sides of the aisle to pass legislation securing U.S. ports, chemical plants, and airports. He said he also reached across the aisle to pass legislation protecting the nation's rail and transportation systems.