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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com. This summer I am joined by Keir Wilmut and Omar Soliman.
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Grover and the Islamists
Today, Frank Gaffney, a leading American foreign policy hawk and former Reagan Pentagon official, published an absolutely stinging indictment of conservative tax-fighter Grover Norquist. Norquist, probably the best known Republican activist in America, has been feuding with Gaffney for about a year over Norquist's supposed coddling of Islamist radicals.
The fight between these two men was all the talk in Washington conservative circles over the summer (word travels fast, its a very small group) and Norquist eventually kicked Gaffney out of the regular Wednesday morning meetings that Norquist hosts for Washington conservatives at his K Street office. As an attendee of some of these meetings last year, but who was not present at the one where this issue erupted, resulting in Gaffeney being banned (it is outlined in Gaffney's piece), I can attest to the fact that tension between Grover's Muslim friends and the more neocon-ish elements of the movement in the room was palpabale.
All I can say after reading through the above-linked piece is that it looks pretty bad for Grover. However, I recognize that this is only one side of the story. I would certainly like to see a response from Grover, which I hope is forthcoming.
One thing I know for certain is that Grover would never willingly do anything to harm President Bush. If Gaffney is right, either Grover is just totally naive and unaware of his colleagues' incriminating records, or he's totally blinded from reality and neglecting proper character analysis in his desire to bring more people into the Republican tent.
Grover thinks everyone should be a Republican, no matter who they are. That's just the way he is. So maybe his view that people of all races, religions, colours, etc... should be in the "tent" is clouding his judgement. I just don't know. He's very passionate about not sterotyping ethnic groups, especially Muslims, post 9/11. I remember an incident at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last year when Grover was on a panel about immigration and he broke down in tears during a passionate defence of an "open borders" policy. He's very touchy about these things.
Anyway, enough said. And enough ink has been spilled over the last year on Grover and his Muslim connections. I hope he lays everything out in public so the air can be cleared once and for all and this case can be shut.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 8:18 PM
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