From the “Malkin’s Believe It Or Not” file…

CAIR, the Muslim activist group that has at least three former officials who have been indicted on charges of terrorism, money laundering or fraud, was recently welcomed by the State Department to discuss foreign policy initiatives. From Islam Online:

CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad presented in the meeting — attended by Assistant Secretary Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher and Ambassador William Burns — a proposal for cooperative efforts to challenge both Islamophobia and anti-Americanism.

The proposal includes such measures as producing a report on the
growing phenomenon of Islamophobia, conferences in this country and in the
Muslim world to discuss both Islamophobia and Anti-Americanism and domestic
and international “goodwill ambassadors” who can speak about both topics.

“By challenging anti-Muslim bigotry, we can help reduce anti-American attitudes in the Islamic world.

“And by having American Muslims speak out in support of their nation’s values, while at the same time maintaining essential credibility on issues of importance to Muslims worldwide, we undercut growing Islamophobic views in our society,” read the report, carried by the group in a press release Thursday…”

CAIR’s hyped claims of anti-Muslim bigotry include publicizing fake hate crimes. Its methods of “combating” Islamophobia revolve around bullying critics and suing them.

The Bush State Department embraces this group with open arms, yet Karl Rove warned Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado) that he will never be allowed to “darken the White House door” because of honest, intra-party disagreements over border security.

What is wrong with this picture?

Update: CAIR’s mau-mauing of FOX over a recent episode of “24” now seems to have paid off.