Military plans 'scrub' of classes on Islam

• Tweet

WASHINGTON, April 25 (UPI) -- Military courses on Islam are being reviewed after a student reported a slide that says the United States is at "war" with the religion, officials say.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ordered the review, a Pentagon spokesman said. Specifically, Dempsey ordered a class on "Islam and Islamic Radicalism" at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., suspended until the review is complete, Capt. John Kirby said during a press availability Wednesday.

"Our concern is there are some unprofessional things being taught to students in professional military education curriculum," Kirby said.

Both Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta want "an adequate scrub" of courses throughout the military, Kirby said.

A student complained of being shown a PowerPoint slide saying "that the United States is at war with Islam and we ought to just recognize that we are at war," Kirby said. He said there were other examples of objectionable material.

"That's not at all what we believe to be the case: We're at war with terrorism, specifically al-Qaida, who has a warped view of the Islamic faith," Kirby added.