[This letter is being circulated among former U.S. officials concerned with U.S. foreign policy, NGO leaders concerned with U.S. foreign policy, and academics concerned with the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy. Please send signatures, together with identifying information similar to current signers, to naiman@justforeignpolicy.org by noon ET on Monday, August 6. Forwarding welcome where appropriate.]

[Everyone is encouraged to write their own Representative, urging that Bachmann be removed from the Intelligence Committee. Our alert is here:
House Must Sanction Bachmann for Anti-Muslim McCarthyism
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/sanction-bachmann
-JFP]

---------

To Protect U.S. Interests, Replace Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorists on the House Intelligence Committee

Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi:

We write out of concern for the impact on U.S. interests in the Muslim world of the actions of some Members of Congress in promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories suggesting that top U.S. officials who are Muslim-American are part of a Muslim Brotherhood plot to infiltrate the U.S. government.

As you are aware, Reps. Michele Bachmann, Trent Franks, Louie Gohmert, Thomas Rooney and Lynn Westmoreland recently wrote to various government agencies and asked them to investigate the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on U.S. officials who are Muslim-American, targeting top State Department official Huma Abedin and several advisers to the Department of Homeland Security.

As you are also no doubt aware, the promotion of these conspiracy theories by Members of Congress has been cited by conspiracy theorists in Egypt as evidence for the claim that the U.S. government has deliberately helped engineer the electoral success of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. This has come at a time when the U.S. government has worked hard to avoid any public perception that it is backing one faction over another in Egypt's nascent democracy.

Just Foreign Policy News, July 28, 2012
Catholics, Jews condemn Bachmann's anti-Muslim conspiracy theory

Help your friends sign up to receive the Just Foreign Policy News
Do you know someone who might want to receive the Just Foreign Policy News? You can send them this link:
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/daily-news-signup

Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate

Go Straight to the News Summary

I) Actions and Featured Articles

*Action: House Must Sanction Bachmann for Anti-Muslim McCarthyism
Rep. Michele Bachmann is using her position on the House Intelligence Committee to promote a conspiracy theory that government officials, including State Department official Huma Abedin, are part of a Muslim Brotherhood plot to infiltrate the U.S. government. Bachmann also claims that Rep. Keith Ellison is tied to the Muslim Brotherhood. Bachmann has refused to apologize or back down, even after prominent Republicans like Senator John McCain demanded that she stop. Bachmann's Muslim conspiracy-mongering is part of a broader campaign to intimidate Muslim-Americans from speaking out about U.S. foreign policy. Urge your Representative to take action.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/sanction-bachmann

The Nation: How WikiLeaks Transformed Brazil's Media