London

[jahcs]

The first is that the battle is against a culture, not a religion.  The Muslim religion is as facticuous as Christianity.  The people who are fighting against western civilization are afraid of losing the power they command in their respective communities.
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Definitely a key point. It is a culture that uses a religion as means and excuse for it's actions and as a control and motivator of it's citizens.

As long as "we" and "them" go on calling this battle of religions, we will never find a solution.
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Indeed, it becomes a primary motivation for "them" to escalate and continue the struggle.

Not that I agree with your analysis, but for the moment assuming it is correct, what exactly are you recommending?

A crusade? Nuclear annhilation? Some grand us-against-them Huntington-to-the-extreme war on all of Islam?

Or is there some other, more gentle plan that "western civilization" might adopt against this enemy? (Islam? Muslims? Some? All?)
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Since you raise the questions, and valid ones at that, I ask for your recommendations.

Most westerners probably hope a live and let live policy with integration and modernization will solve the problem. Unfortunately this appears to be one thing the leaders of their culture are vehemently opposed to.

Reeducating people over the course of generations is a possibility. Who has the patience for that when bombs keep going off? How do we get the leaders to change their curriculum?

I have some other fragmented thoughts rattling around in my braincase but I have been unsuccesful in articulating them so far... :blush: