Newt Gingrich turns to Wikipedia in understanding terrorism

In Politico today Newt Gingrich has a six-page op-ed defending Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and four other GOP House members who recently started a stink by suggesting the federal government may have been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Speaker John Boehner and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) are two prominent Republicans who have criticized Bachmann and the others for the making the accusations. Gingrich hits back at Boehner and McCain in his piece, though not by name.

"When an orchestrated assault is launched on the right to ask questions in an effort to stop members of Congress from even inquiring about a topic — you know the fix is in," Gingrich writes.

The best part: Gingrich turns to the authoritative guide on terrorism to make his case against the government: Wikipedia.

[...] Wikipedia reports, “One year after the Fort Hood shooting, the motivations of the perpetrator were not yet established.”

It did offer suggestions about motivation, however. For example, “A review of Hasan’s computer and his multiple email accounts has revealed visits to websites espousing radical Islamist ideas.” Talking about Islam, he said, “Nonbelievers would be sent to Hell, decapitated, set on fire and have burning oil poured down their throats.”

A rational person would have some hints about what motivated a terrorist killing spree.

If even Wikipedia could reach some conclusion about motivation, you would think the national security system could do the same. Not so.

Gingrich then cited a friend of a friend who knows someone who is sure there's an MB agent working at the top levels of the State Department. Not really, but that's similar to using Wikipedia.