I have complained for a very long time about the inadequate definition of the enemy – the global Islamic jihad movement. We westeners do not enjoy the ability to see the Arab or Muslim perspective with accuracy because of our upbringing, and our privilege of freedom at birth in this country. The only views provided are thru the eyes of a western press, using generalized, over simplified analogies.

i.e., it is not always Sunni vs Shia. They have been known to cooperate in many a mission against a common foe. Hezbollah and Hamas enjoy interrelations and support that would surprpise many. Fact is, an Iranian-Shia theocracy is no better for the population at large, or their economy, than a Sunni theocracy.

Islamic rule as law of the land results in 3rd world conditions and human rights violations at every turn. Modern Islam rejects this type of governance with elections at every turn (with the exception of Palestine, which voted for Hamas socialist welfare programs).

I too will rue the day when we lose the valuable culture contributions of the Middle East because of too broad of associations. However humanity and public opinion, in their simplicity and lack of perspective, often tends to react in the extreme.

Sure glad I learned how to make my own hummus tho…. LOL

To MataHarley’s point: It is true that a minority can enforce its will on the majority given the right circumstances and armed strength. But as we have seen in Iraq, al-Qaeda was only as strong as its support from the Sunni population.

The major concern I have with our reaction to extremist is that we turn everything representing Arab culture into symbols or terrorism. When an American company has to pull an ad due to a scarf – we are not far from the edge. I can see a day when a Persian rug becomes evidence of sympathizing with Iran.

Al Qaeda never had any support amongst the majority Shia 60%

Saddam didn’t have that 60% support either, John Ryan. Are you suggesting that it’s impossible for a minority to have dictatorial rule over the majority? In which case, you are ignoring decades of history in that very country.

Arthur, it has never been suggested that *all* Muslims support a caliphate. However a minority of militants, using violence, fear and weaponry, can take over a nation and enforce their will… see the case of Saddam and a minority, ruling for decades over the majority.

That’s not a surprise.

Your comment is pointless as usual.

Wordsmith: I’ve seen the Pew report and it’s nearly a year old. I was hoping to see something more recent. Maybe they will update it in July.

Turns out ‘Muslims’ haven’t been all about the destruction of the west and world domination after all.

Except for Rachel Ray apparently.

Sharp Decline in Support for Suicide Bombing in Muslim Countries

Why have clerics and militants once considered allies by Al Qaeda’s leaders turned against them? To a large extent, it is because Al Qaeda and its affiliates have increasingly adopted the doctrine of takfir, by which they claim the right to decide who is a “true” Muslim. Al Qaeda’s Muslim critics know what results from this takfiri view: First, the radicals deem some Muslims apostates; after that, the radicals start killing them. This fatal progression happened in both Algeria and Egypt in the 1990s. It is now taking place even more dramatically in Iraq, where Al Qaeda’s suicide bombers have killed more than 10,000 Iraqis, most of them targeted simply for being Shia. Recently, Al Qaeda in Iraq has turned its fire on Sunnis who oppose its diktats, a fact not lost on the Islamic world’s Sunni majority.

Additionally, Al Qaeda and its affiliates have killed thousands of Muslim civilians elsewhere since September 11: hundreds of ordinary Afghans killed every year by the Taliban, dozens of Saudis killed by terrorists since 2003, scores of Jordanians massacred at a wedding at a U.S. hotel in Amman in November 2005. Even those sympathetic to Al Qaeda have started to notice. “Excuse me Mr. Zawahiri but who is it who is killing with Your Excellency’s blessing, the innocents in Baghdad, Morocco and Algeria?” one supporter asked in an online Q&A with Al Qaeda’s deputy leader in April that was posted widely on jihadist websites. All this has created a dawning recognition among Muslims that the ideological virus that unleashed September 11 and the terrorist attacks in London and Madrid is the same virus now wreaking havoc in the Muslim world.