American Islamic Forum for Democracy

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American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) is an Israel Lobby Letter Head Organization (LHO) founded in 2003 by M. Zuhdi Jasser, which works in collaboration with notorious Islamophobe Daniel Pipes through his front group Center for Islamic Pluralism (Jasser lists himself as one of its 'founding members'.)[1] The group claims to battle "Islamo-facsism" and to be "a leading voice for liberty-minded Muslims in America in the war on terror."[2] Until 2007 it only had a single 'member' -- its founder, Jasser himself. It now has one other member: Sid Shahid, who is designated Director of Research and Publications[3]. The group also has Pipes' endorsement of course.[4]

Radical Right Political Agenda

For Tikun Olam blogger Richard Silverstein, 'AIF’s political agenda is barely concealed radical-right Republicanism' and its founder Zuhdi Jasser is 'a Muslim neocon.'[5]. Silverstein highlights the following passages from AIFD's 'Founding Principles and Resolutions'.[6]

As United States citizens we support our American armed forces.

As United States citizens we support absolute and literal adherence to our citizenship pledge. …We will work to educate the public regarding the current threat to America of radicals who exploit Islam through militancy. …We will work to express the consistency of the principles of Islam with economic principles of free markets and capitalism. …We will work to promote the appreciation of the integral role of American patriotism and nationalism in the life of Muslim youth in America.

…we feel it is necessary to make a foundational position statement regarding the state of Israel. We stand in support of the existing unqualified recognition of the state of Israel.

The group seems to have no support at all beyond right wing publications such as National Review Online, or the New York Sun. Working in close concert with the Israel lobby, its raison d'etre seems to be the targetting of mainstream Muslim organizations, such as CAIR.

AIFD was a member of the Coalition Against Terrorist Media, a project of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.[7]

It was also listed as part of the Coalition to Stop Shariah, a project of the Center for Security Policy.[8]

Personnel

Key Associations

Funding

AIFD has received funding from the Abstraction Fund a New York foundation whose president is Nina Rosenwald in at least two years, 2010[9] and 2012.[10]

Contact

Related Articles

M. Zuhdi Jasser, Why Do They CAIR about Jack Bauer?, National Review Online, January 29, 2007

Notes

  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ About
  3. ↑ Members
  4. ↑ [2]
  5. ↑ Richard Silverstein, Radical Islam wants you...and America, Tikun Olam, 2 October 2008
  6. ↑ 'Founding Principles and Resolutions', AIFD, accessed 19 July 2010
  7. ↑ Coalition Members, Coalition Against Terrorist Media website, accessed via the Web Archive 17 February 2015
  8. ↑ Coalition, Stop Shariah website, accessed 17 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Form 990 - 2010, FoundationCenter.org
  10. ↑ Form 990 - 2012, FoundationCenter.org
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