Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Sunday defended President Obama refusing to tie the Islamic State to so-called radical Islam, saying such a label would give the terrorist organization “too much dignity.”
“The thing I hear from leaders in the Muslim community in this country is, ‘[the Islamic State] is attempting to hijack my religion. My religion is about peace and brotherhood,’ ” Johnson said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Obama has been on the defensive for avoiding a debate on Islamic extremism, which he says would only help the Islamic State recruit new members. The White House this week held a summit on countering violent extremism, devoted largely to convincing Muslims the West was not “at war” with Islam.
Critics argue that Obama is ignoring a critical discussion about the root cause of the rise of the Islamic State.
But Johnson on Sunday said the language debate took away from the administration’s broader campaign to combat terrorist cells.
“From my perspective, whether it’s referred to as Islamic extremism or violent extremism … it is a dangerous terrorist organization that has to be dealt with,” the Homeland Security chief said.
Johnson added that using the radical Islam label “is playing on a battlefield they would like us to be on.”
