Who’s ‘ignorant?’ London mayor’s criticism of Trump ignores existence of radical Islam, just like Obama

The latest faux “outrage” from the political Left and the #nevertrump wing of the Republican establishment is comes from a suggestion that the GOP presidential frontrunner may consider setting up a commission to study radical Islam – a blatant admission that there actually is radical Islam in the world and that it’s a threat to American security.

As reported by CBS News, Trump said this week he wants to “take a very serious look” at radical Islamic terrorism as well as his earlier proposal to temporarily ban people from some Muslim nations from entering the U.S. until they can be properly vetted, even floating the name of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani who was at the helm during the 9/11 attacks to head up the panel.

“We have to be extremely careful,” Trump told Fox News in a phone interview Wednesday after he was questioned about his calls for a Muslim ban. “In fact, I’m thinking about setting up a commission perhaps headed by Rudy Giuliani to take a very serious look at this problem. But this is a worldwide problem. And we have to be smart.”

Giuliani endorsed fellow New Yorker Trump in April, ahead of the state’s primary.

“I’m Rudy Giuliani. I mean a lot in New York politics. I endorse Donald Trump, but I’m not a part of the campaign,” the former mayor told CNN in April.

In his interview with Fox News, Trump – the presumptive GOP nominee now – noted that his plan regarding Muslim travel to the U.S. would just be a “temporary ban” until U.S. intelligence and Homeland Security officials figure out how to better vet migrants from countries with known Islamic radicalism.

“If you don’t want to discuss the problem, then we’re never going to solve the problem,” Trump said, hitting back at critics who lob insults his way but never engage him on the merits of his position. “It’s a real problem. So we’ll figure it out, and we will get it going.”

Trump’s “controversial comments” about radical Islam have, of course, reverberated around the world, with the latest official to denounce them being London’s newly-elected mayor, Sadiq Khan, who called the GOP leader’s views “ignorant” earlier this week.

“[M]y concern is he’s playing to the hands of extremists who say it’s not compatible to be Western and be a mainstream Muslim,” Khan told the BBC in an interview.

The problem with that point of view is the same as it’s always been: It defies reality. Radicalized Muslims don’t need any cues from Trump or anyone else to become radicalized; they do that on their own. It’s as though Khan and those who hold his views are saying millions of Muslims woke up one morning and said, You know, because of what Donald Trump said about Muslims, I think I’ll go get some training and shoot up the office of a French magazine.

That’s ridiculous – and it’s equally ridiculous to shoot the messenger because of his message. Trump is only doing what President Obama, Khan and every other Left-wing politician thus far has refused to do: Acknowledge that radical Islam exists, and it existed long before Donald Trump came along. If anything, Khan’s criticism of Trump gives political cover to radical Islamists.

As for Trump, he responded to Khan’s comments in a separate interview Friday afternoon with Fox News radio host Brian Kilmeade, suggesting that the London mayor is “denying” the existence of Islamic extremism.

“I assume he denies there is Islamic terrorism,” he said. “There is Islamic radical terrorism all over the world right now. It’s a disaster what’s going on. I assume he is denying that. I assume he is like our president that’s denying it’s taking place.”

That assumption appears to be spot-on.