NBC foreign correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin wrote a Facebook post Friday castigating American Middle East policy and Republican politicians for a "cycle of political absurdity and ignorance" in the aftermath of the Nice, France, terrorist attack Thursday night.
Mohyeldin said Republicans were attempting to create a narrative that the "West is at a war that is being brought to our homes and simply ignoring that the U.S. has been at some form of war in the region for generations."
He specifically criticized retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for calling on Arab and Persian leaders to "declare their Islamic ideology sick and must be healed," adding that Flynn failed to "deride the very American government and military officials like himself who for decades have legitimized, propped, and armed these very same authoritarian leaders that have retarded the very essence of human progress in their countries."
In his crosshairs also included Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, reportedly Donald Trump’s vice presidential selection. Mohyeldin took exception to Pence’s statement that the attack was a reminder of Islamic terror’s threat to Western civilization.
Mohyeldin wrote Pence was "seemingly ignorant of the fact that the largest victims of this style of terrorism are Muslims in Arab and Muslim countries."
The cycle of political absurdity and ignorance that follows deadly attacks like those we saw last night in Nice is getting louder in the United States. Republican officials continue to push a narrative calling into question the loyalties of American citizens based on religion and ideas while promulgating the notion that the West is at a war that is being brought to our homes and simply ignoring that the US has been at some form of war in the region for generations. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich says a test should be administered to Muslims to determine their religiosity and essentially their loyalties even basing it on their online activity, undermining the corner stone of American liberties.
A former senior Military officer, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has dared "Arab and Persian leaders to declare their Islamic ideology sick and must be healed" while neglecting to deride the very American government and military officials like himself who for decades have legitimized, propped and armed these very same authoritarian leaders that have retarded the very essence of human progress in their countries. And the leading vice presidential contender, Indiana Governor Mike Pence has said this attack is a reminder that Western civilization is under threat, seemingly ignorant of the fact that the largest victims of this style of terrorism are Muslims in Arab and Muslim countries.
Mohyeldin has previously said that the late Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle had "racist tendencies" and went on "killing sprees" in Iraq, and he is a strong critic of Israel’s policy toward Palestinians. He came under fierce criticism in 2015 for falsely claiming he witnessed Israeli authorities shoot an unarmed Palestinian, when in fact the Palestinian had a knife and was trying to kill Israelis.