The MacArthur Society held its monthly Commanders Call featuring a presentation by Mansoor Laghari, a Muslim US Army veteran and human rights activist, who shared his personal story of his family’s persecution by Islamic religious extremists in Pakistan. He discussed his father’s imprisonment and death in custody, his own arrests and attacks, and threats he continues to receive.
Laghari emphasized distinguishing Islam from Islamist extremism and judging individuals by their actions rather than assumptions about their faith. He defended US Constitutional religious freedom and opposed replacing U.S. law with Islamic Sharia rule.
Laghari warned that extremist movements can exploit social media, antisemitism, political grievances, and also warned of the cooperation between far-left and Islamist groups (the Red-Green Alliance).
Mansoor founded the Global Youth Unity Project to teach young people from diverse backgrounds how to recognize propaganda and radicalization, aiming to prevent extremism before it takes hold.
A Q&A session followed, where Mansoor answered questions about Islam, including discussions on the relationship between politics and religion, definitions of terms like taqiyyah and kafir, and how to identify true friends in interfaith relationships. He explained that while he receives threats from both Muslims and non-Muslims, the majority come from Muslims, and he continues to speak out against extremism in Islam despite these challenges.
After his talk, other topics discussed at the Commanders Call included the Save the World War II Palawan Site campaign to preserve a historical site in the Philippines where American POWs were massacred; updates on upcoming speakers; invitation to join the MacArthur Society’s delegation to the West Point Board of Visitors meeting, and a debate among members about the nature of Islam and its relationship with extremism. The conversation ended with remarks from General Paul Vallely and a call for continued engagement with the society’s mission.
Watch on the MacArthur Society YouTube channel:
More information and link to sign the Palawan petition:
Save the World War II Palawan site
Join the MacArthur Society’s delegation:
Attend the October 9 West Point Board of Visitors with the MacArthur Society
About the Guest Speaker:
Mansoor Hussain Laghari is a U.S. Army veteran, human rights activist, political analyst, film producer, and founder and president of the Global Youth Unity Project (GYUP), a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to countering antisemitism and extremism, strengthening Muslim-Jewish relations, and engaging young people through education, leadership development, dialogue, and peacebuilding.
A former Specialist in the U.S. Army National Guard, Laghari brings to his advocacy a perspective shaped by military service, political study, and decades of firsthand experience confronting religious extremism and political violence. Born in Sindh, he grew up in a family deeply involved in human-rights and democratic activism. His father, Ghulam Mohammad Laghari, spent decades in prison for his political and human-rights work. Mansoor later survived multiple assassination attempts in Pakistan connected to his own activism and opposition to extremism.
Now based in the United States, Laghari has made counter-extremism, the defense of Jewish communities, and Muslim-Jewish cooperation central to his public work. As a Muslim who openly supports Israel’s right to exist and challenges antisemitism within Muslim communities, he frequently addresses the ideological convergence sometimes described as the “Red-Green Alliance” and the ways extremist narratives can move from overseas political movements into Western civic, campus, and activist spaces.
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Read The Red-Green Alliance Is Coming for America by Mansoor Laghari published on Real Clear Defense
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