(Daily Beast) Leslie H. Gelb - Almost all the terrorist and extremist violence in the world today is committed by Muslims - and in most instances, the victims are Muslims themselves. What's afoot here is Muslim extremism - despite the fact that the great majority of Muslims aren't radicals and condemn terrorism. If the battle against Muslim terrorism is to be won, moderate Muslims will have to do the heavy lifting, and explain to us how we can best help them. If Americans and Westerners continue to take the lead, it will remain an "us vs. them" war - "infidel and oppressive" outsiders battling "victimized" Muslims. Effective military force, of course, will be needed to weaken the fanatics and provide security. But the support of the great majority of Muslims is an even more essential ingredient for success, one that can be garnered only by their fellow believers both in the U.S. and abroad. Of the terrorist killings and maimings that have taken place over the last three years, over 90% have been Muslim on Muslim. The great majority of sensible and moderate Muslims must take up operational and actual arms against the terrorists. It can't be just rhetoric. The writer, a former senior government official, is president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
2010-01-12 09:55:20Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive