So before I launch in to the body of this article I feel it necessary to lay down my credentials, after all Miss K Pierson likes fact-checking so I'm sure she'll be fact-checking this! I'm a British born Muslim and before you ask, I came to this country legally on a working visa. I grew up alongside many of those who are now fighting alongside extremist groups like ISIS and have first-hand knowledge of the type of indoctrination Muslims go through living in the west but having Eastern values.
As early as the 80s friends of mine have talked about a caliphate and one day having a country in the middle east that they can truly call 'Islamic'. Before anyone gets carried away let me say this. I plus, hundreds of millions of Muslims around the World strongly disassociate ourselves from ISIS and similar terrorist groups and organisations. They have effectively hijacked the religion for their own personal gains. No one in their right mind agrees with them or what they stand for. Don't take my word for it, the biggest and brightest Islamic scholars are on record of saying as much. Professionally, in my 20 years as a journalist (formerly BBC, CNBC and Sky News) I have been in war zones like Pakistan and Afghanistan covering the news for my network. I have lived in Dubai for nearly two years and seen at close hand, the influence and impact of western values and cultural in the Emirate. Fellow international journalist friends of mine were brutally murdered by the Taliban and to cap it all off, I nearly lost a loved one in the attacks of 9/11. So, I feel qualified in expressing my views on Mr Trumps so called policy of immigration or how ever he wants to put it.
Now that we've got that out of the way let me turn my focus and attention to Mr Donald Trump. There is plenty I could discuss and pull apart in your policies but on this occasion I will address just one. Your policy of banning all Muslims from entering the United States. You can cover that with whatever sugar-coating you want or whichever way you want to put it. Your 'policy' is tantamount to extremism and xenophobia. What you're doing is firstly, scaring the American public. It's a cheap trick to try and get votes. You're playing on people's insecurity and patriotism to garner support and then have the cheek and audacity to say 'I love muslims, many of them are my friends'. No they're not!! Just how many muslims actually agree with this policy as a blanket statement?? You see Mr Trump, that's your shortcoming. You have plenty of blanket statements but there is NOTHING when it comes to detail. Let's face it, you simply don't know what you're talking about. So now you say it's about immigration. OK, so you want to ban those who want to visit the United States as tourists as well under this so called 'policy'. So how has that anything to do with immigration?? Look, tourists are visitors to the United States and nothing more. To suggest that they pose a potential threat is effectively throwing the baby out with the bathwater. There is already a vigorous screening process at every port of entry into the U.S., I should know as I get subjected to it upon entry even though I'm a U.K. citizen and, I have a valid visa. Yes people come here for legitimate reasons and yes there are some who would harm the U.S. but to say ALL Muslims should be banned or that if you're a Muslim 'you'll be barred from entering the United States' has a very disturbing and chilling echo, to it.
Allow me to elaborate...it sounds similar to some who wasn't a natural politician but rose to power. Someone who used similar scare tactics against other people, pointing to their religion and thereby rallying and restoring national sentiment of patriotism. Someone who said they wanted their country to be great again as economically and industrially it simply wasn't. Someone who blamed others for the shortfalls of his country. And finally, someone who said their military might will be the greatest in the World and was committed to rebuilding the military. You do know who I'm talking about Mr Trump -- one very smart corporal, Adolf Hitler! I wonder Mr Trump, whose next?? Are we to assume that if one day you fall out of favor with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that you'll consider banning all Jews from entering the United States as well?? No wait, you love Jewish people as well and in fact aren't many of them your friends -- pathetic!!
What you're doing is handing extremist groups like ISIS, a victory. It is precisely this kind of behavior and attitude that fuels the propaganda fire for terrorists. All they need do now Mr Trump is sit back and let you fall on your sword and do all the propaganda work for them. Actually too late, you've already done it!!! If you think support for groups like ISIS is waning then, you're gravely mistaken. Your policies will help create more terrorist cells than are probably currently active here in the U.S. but then again you probably know all of that because it provides justification for strengthening the military.
The West has got themselves into this mess in the first place simply because, as many believe, they don't belong there. Countries like the U.S. imposes their will and their culture in a country and environment that is alien to them. This is precisely the sort of thing religious leaders across the Muslim world will now say and, will point to YOU as living proof of the duplicitous nature of western governments or individuals. All they would have to say is 'we told you so'. How do you think this is going to go down with our Arab allies who already walk a very delicate and fragile tight rope between appeasing their local population and living in a modern world led by America. Why don't you leave the diplomats, politicians and those with more experience to deal with matters like this and you can go back to doing what you claim do best, running a company.
So, stick with what you know Mr Trump rather than trying something new. Further, you also say, in relation to this so called policy of yours that, it's a temporary arrangement until you find out what's going on!! What on Earth does that mean?? Once again, a blanket statement that has zero substance, plays to the masses and really has no depth or longevity. I've just laid it out for you!! You don't need a 12th grader in a history class to tell you why many in the Arab World despise the United States. Might I remind you that you are running for the office of the President of the United States. You had better come to the table with something a lot more concrete, tangible and solid than just a one liner. This isn't a promotion for The Apprentice. This is high office for high stakes. Alienation is not the key Mr Trump.
This policy, along with many others you've concocted is ill conceived. But you won't back off because millions of people agree with you, 'look at the polls and the wins, right', WRONG!! People don't believe in everything you say or stand for. BUT the reason you're getting votes is because you talk as if you're the standard bearer of the 'common man'. You're anything but!!
You're part of the ruling elite and establishment that you despise so much. Where were you when you sit at these highly inflated dinners?? You've donated money to people for a cause and campaign. You're just as culpable as these politicians that you say you are, NOT. You speak so much about it because you have first-hand knowledge of how things work and who does what. Now you claim to disown all of that because you're for the 'common man'. If elected, you will turn America in to a political and economic pariah. You would have single handedly have isolated this great nation and its people, overnight. If you are a true patriot then you should bow out gracefully and save this country the humiliation of electing a 'nasty, nasty person' -- your words, no mine.