Attorney General Eric Holder turned a critical eye to Fox News for pressing the administration to refer to ongoing terrorism attacks with the Islam label, saying that nothing could be “gained by saying that” and that the media outlet was simply stirring a pot that didn’t need to be stirred.
“We spend more time, more time talking about what you call it, as opposed to what do you do about it, you know? I mean really,” Mr. Holder said, to a National Press Club crowd, Fox News reported. “If Fox didn’t talk about this, they would have nothing else to talk about, it seems to me.”
But as the “Fox & Friends” show pointed out on Wednesday — Fox isn’t the only media outlet questioning the failure of the White House to refer to the string of recent beheadings, burnings and attacks committed by the Islamic State as stemming from Islamic terrorism.
Other news organizations around the world have wondered why the omission of the radical Islam label, too, the “Fox & Friends” hosts said. For instance, Mara Liasson of National Public Radio has questioned Josh Earnest, White House press secretary, about the omission of the Islam label, Newsmax reported.
And Dana Perino of “The Five” on Fox News said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also insisted the term “Islamic” should be used.
But Mr. Holder said such labels — specifying Islam — aren’t necessary.
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“Radical Islam, Islamic extremism — I’m not sure an awful lot is gained by saying that,” he said, Newsmax reported. “It doesn’t have any impact on our military posture. It doesn’t have any impact on what we call it, on the policies that we put in place.”
The White House view is that it doesn’t want to alienate other members of the Muslim faith by referring to terror groups like Islamic State and al Qaeda as Islamic.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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