Army apologizes for labeling pro-life organization a ‘terrorist’ group

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has issued an apology after news reports last year indicated the Army had characterized Operation Rescue and other pro-life groups as “terrorists.”

Key Takeaways:

• Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll apologized for Army training slides that labeled Operation Rescue and other pro-life groups as terrorists.

• The training slides were leaked last year and quickly went viral.

• Operation Rescue president Troy Newman said the damage done to the organization “cannot be undone.”

The Backstory:

Last July, a series of slides shown at an anti-terrorism briefing held at the Army’s Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) went viral because they labeled pro-life organizations like National Right to Life and Operation Rescue as terrorist groups.

During a congressional hearing several months later, it was revealed that more than 9,000 soldiers were trained using the slides. Members of Congress demanded answers as to how such mischaracterization could have occurred, but until now, the Army has been hesitant to take any responsibility.

The Details:

In a letter sent to Operation Rescue and its attorneys from the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), Driscoll apologized for the “deeply inappropriate” mischaracterization of the pro-life organizations as terrorist groups.

“Let me be clear: the Army does not consider Operation Rescue, National Right to Life, and other pro-life groups to be terrorist organizations,” Driscoll wrote. “Further, the Army does not view pro-life beliefs or state-issued pro-life license plates as indicators of terrorism.”

Driscoll went on to assure that all the Army training materials have been reviewed to ensure that they are “factually accurate, comply with the law, and align with Army values.”

The Bottom Line:

Operation Rescue’s president, Troy Newman, acknowledged the apology, though he said the damage to the organization “cannot be undone.”

“I am glad to accept the Army’s apology, but the harm this has caused Operation Rescue has been incalculable,” said Newman. “Being labeled a terrorist in these troubled times has carried with it a heavy burden on my staff and me.”

Jordan Sekulow, executive director of ACLJ, also responded to the letter.

“Thank you for standing up against the Leftist ideology that had been infecting our military branches and bogging down our warfighters, often cloaked in the bureaucratic morass,” said Sekulow. “We know you have a lot of work to do, and that you took time to address this — not just in response to an oversight function of Congress, but directly to our client who was among those harmed — confirms your commitment to the values for which you fight.”

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