A particularly low smear against Spencer and Geller (but is there not rough justice here as well?)

Daniel S. writes:

Philip Giraldi, former CIA agent and current columnist for The American Conservative (see his many TAC columns here) and Antiwar.com, has penned an anti-Semitic screed against Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller, and other counter-jihad activists (via Jihad Watch). Sounding like the sort of leftist fanatics that populate the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos, Giraldi launches into a vicious attack against Spencer, Geller, David Horowitz, and other “neoconservatives,” blaming them for inciting the Norwegian terror attack:

There has been considerable commentary over the possibility that the terrorism in Norway will trigger a reaction against “conservative” websites and will stifle legitimate debate over immigration and asylum policies. But the websites in question are not conservative at all but rather neoconservative, and the only immigration they oppose is immigration by Muslims.

Certainly some counter-jihad activists are closer to the neoconservative persuasion, like Frank Gaffney, but the association of counter-jihad activism with the often pro-Muslim neoconservative ideology is both wrong, and in this case malicious. The Gates of Vienna bloggers and the essayist Fjordman (both cited by Breivik) are certainly not neocons, not by a long shot. And Robert Spencer has been highly critical of the neocon projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, rejecting the notion that the US can democratize the Muslim world. And the actual neocon websites almost never talk about immigration, much less Muslim immigration. If only they did!

Giraldi continues:

Some leading neoconservatives cited by Anders Behring Breivik in his rambling commentary are David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, and Pamela Geller, all of whom have been leaders in the indictment of Islam and each of whom is, not coincidentally, a vocal advocate of Israel and its policies. They are the alligators in the swamp that they have created and are now frantically engaged in distancing themselves from their words and deeds. But sometimes the truth will out.

This is no different then what the New York Times and other liberal media outlets have been saying over the past few weeks. So to be critical about Islamic teachings espoused in the Koran or to oppose Islamic immigration (which Daniel Pipes and David Horowitz most certainly do not) is but a fig leaf to push a radical Israeli agenda according to Giraldi (apparently channeling the absurd Richard Hoste). Giraldi also cribs material from the despicable libel-blogger Charles Johnson and accuses Pamela Geller of posting a message from Breivik and then trying to cover it up.

Giraldi continues:

As John Sugg, Max Blumenthal and others have exposed, pro-Israel neocons such as Geller are closely related to the growing hostility toward Muslims. We hope, but doubt, that the recent tragedy in Norway will cause them to re-think their actions, not simply try to hide them.

We also hope that others will not be taken in by their despicable manipulation.

The “conservative” Giraldi is reduced to getting his talking points from leftists smear merchants Charles Johnson and the Soros-funded Max Blumenthal. To accuse Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller of manipulating Breivik is not only false, but malicious (in blaming Geller and Spencer in this way, and making clear their pro-Israel positions, it does seem that Giraldi is trying to blame the Jews for the actions of Breivik). Philip Giraldi is a pathetic dhimmi and should be called out as such.

LA writes:

This is a very low article. It has no facts, no arguments. It’s basically a call to bring down and silence Spencer, Geller, Horowitz because they’re both anti-radical Islam and pro-Israel, because they’re “neoconservatives” rather than “conservatives.”

I haven’t read Giraldi’s columns at TAC, but if they’re anything like this column (which appears at a site called Veterans Today, where Giraldi is also listed as a columnist), it only reinforces one’s view of the lowness of that magazine, which I have been pointing out since it was founded by Scott McConnell, Patrick Buchanan, and Taki in 2002.

At the same time, is there not a certain rough justice in the unfair attacks on Spencer and Geller? Just a month before the Norway mass murders that triggered the campaign against Geller and Spencer, the two of them declared the English Defence League to be a fascist, anti-Semitic organization, on the basis of zero—literally zero—facts. (See this, this, and this.) That was truly amazing, truly shocking, and it greatly reduced the remaining respect that one had for Spencer. He wholeheartedly joined his semi-nutcase anti-jihad partner Geller in throwing extremely damaging charges at a fellow anti-jihad organization, with NOTHING to back up the charges. And both of them were completely unembarrassed at the fact that they had NOTHING to back up the charges. And now he and Geller are being taken apart for being anti-Islamic and encouraging the violence of Breivik. What’s being said about them is wrong and vicious. But is there not a kind of justice being worked out here?

Daniel S. replies:

Certainly there is a degree of “karma” in the evidence-lacking charge that Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller incite violence, mere weeks after they accused the English Defence League of being neo-fascist with absolutely no evidence. However, in pointing out the vicious smears and lies by creeps like Philip Giraldi I am not so much interested in defending Geller and Spencer for their own sake, but to defend the wider counter-jihad movement which this leftists and anti-Semites are trying to attack through their attacks on Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller. Of course, one wonders if Spencer and Geller have had time to meditate on the fact that they did to the EDL the very thing that is being done to them now and might offer up a sincere apology to Tommy Robinson and the EDL. (Considering the narcissism of the two I doubt it.)

LA replies:

Agreed. One defends Geller and Spencer from these charges, not because Geller and Spencer deserve to be defended after their own beyond-outrageous behavior vis a vis the EDL which has so discredited them, but because the charges are false and wrong, and the charges are aimed at killing the anti-Islamization movement as a whole.

LA continues:

Speaking of Karma:

Instant Karma’s gonna get you,
Gonna knock you right on the head,
You better get yourself together.
— John Lennon

- end of initial entry -

Ron L. writes:

This article is not about the facts or the previous actions of Geller, Spencer et all. Rather, it is part of a coordinated campaign by the left, the Islamists, and now the Arab Lobby to vilify and criminalize those opposing the spread of Islam or even just Islamism. Philip Giraldi is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a group created specifically to counter the Israel Lobby and funded by oil interests and Arabs. Its leadership has been involved in everything from funneling Libyan money to speaking at Holocaust denial events.

Giraldi was made executive director after the Holocaust denial scandal. However the bribing of CIA officers during and after service to work for the Arabs is a greater scandal.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 08, 2011 09:32 AM | Send