VMI conference to Show Saudi-funded ‘Out of Cordoba’

Previously, Patrick Poole  reported on an upcoming conference at the Virginia Military Institute celebrating the Islamic invasion and brutal 781-year occupation of Spain entitled “711-2011: East meets West“, and then on the cover-up when they changed “celebrated” to “commemoration.”  And I reported on the money trail behind the Virginia Military Institute’s “East Meets West” conference, leading to  the real administrators of the conference grant – advisory committees from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Which brings us to the two movies “Out of Cordoba” and “Cities of Light” , planned for the VMI cadets and faculty for the conference “gala event.” Or, more accurately, “A Night with the Muslim Brotherhood’s Propaganda Machine.”

“Out of Cordoba,“  (2008) was directed by Jacob Bender, self-described as “one of the initiators of interfaith dialogue with the American Muslim community. He has spoken dozens of times at mosques and at large gatherings of Muslims in the United States, particularly at the conventions of the Islamic Society of North America, the largest Muslim organization in the US.”  He neglects to mention that ISNA was also named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism finance trial.

With “Out of Cordoba,” VMI cadets and faculty will view Muslim Brotherhood propaganda of the “Alliance of Civilizations” variety, “about Jews, Muslims, and Christians struggling for coexistence and against the hijacking of their respective religions by extremists.”  It presents a false narrative of history, from which it draws false conclusions for the present.

The documentary’s Advisory board includes the usual Shariah apologists Karen Armstrong and John L. Esposito, but also:  Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of the Ground Zero Mosque, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Fiqh Council of North America, and Dr. Sayyid Muhammed Syeed, Islamic Society of North America.

The Funders for the film include the Alwaleed bin Talal Foundation (Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is an investor in News Corporation and gives in the tens of millions to Harvard, Georgetown and others to start Shariah academic programs), the Muslim Brotherhood-associated International Institute of Islamic Thought, the Islamic Society of North America (unindicted co-conspirator) and the Alavi Foundation (FBI began to seize their assets in 2009, and the former president was sentenced in 2010 to prison).

The reviews are most revealing – here are my two favorites:

“Out of Cordoba” is a masterpiece.

Hossam AlJabri
Executive Director, Muslim American Society

“Out of Cordoba” is a very useful and powerful means of conveying the message of understanding, love and peace among different cultures, religions, and nations. The film will contribute to solving the problem of misunderstanding between the Islamic world and the West.

Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General, Organization of the Islamic Conference

The question is whether General Peay of Virginia Military Institute thought that this documentary’s endorsements, funding and advice from the likes of the OIC, the MAS, the IIIT, ISNA and the Alwaleed bin Talal Foundation were actually a reason to add it to the evening’s entertainment.  Is this his concept  of educational leadership in training the next generation of America’s  military?  He is using U.S. taxpayer money in the grant, and Virginia taxpayer money in state funds (VMI is a public college).

VMI has an honor code: “A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do.”  The “East meets West” conference violates that code.

It is a lie.

Next: The second film at the conference, Cities of Light – the conquest of Spain presented from the Islamic point of view.