We are confronted today with the seemingly intractable scourge of Islamic Terrorism. Some experience it in-person, most encounter the spectacle of it on their television screens. Our minds are haunted by images of 9/11, of the Bali nightclubs, of subways in Madrid and London, and of schoolchildren in Beslan. We witness daily misery in myriad locations around the globe. Jihadists behead innocent people on videotape, and billions watch it.
It has led decent people to ask questions and seek answers: “What kind of person could do this?”, “What is the purpose?”, “What caused this and who is to blame?” Naturally, we also ask, “What can we do about it?” Today, countless books are available about Islam and Islamic terror, and we do read them. Not long ago words like “Sharia” and “Wahabbi” would have met with blank stares from acquaintances. Now, while many readers are familiar with these terms, there still remains profound confusion about Islamism. A large percentage of non-Muslims continue to be mystified by an ideological cancer on the body ofapproximately 1.5 billion Islamic adherents.
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