In an article just published in Newsweek, Fareed Zakaria argues that sympathy for al-Qaeda, and for the most extreme forms of terrorist jihad, is diminishing throughout much of the Muslim world — due in large part to al-Qaeda’s violent excesses against Muslims themselves, particularly in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Certainly the relentless campaign by the West to deny them safe haven since 9/11 has been an important factor as well.
Certainly a welcome trend, for what it’s worth. Read the article here.
2 Comments
It certainly would be good news if more Muslims were very vocal in denouncing al-Qaeda (and radical Islamism generally). But I haven’t seen the relentless campaign by the West to which you refer. Seems to me we made a lot of noise for a very short time immediately after 9/11, and then turned our attention to the ill-advised venture in Iraq.
Hi Bob,
I was referring primarily to the continuing effort in Afghanistan and the tribal regions of Pakistan, but also to various less-public operations elsewhere. Iraq also became an important theater after the invasion.