Melanie Phillips has a disturbing letter from a British Muslim. As she says:

Truth and lies are at the very heart of this terrible problem facing us all. The sense of grievance and injustice to which this reader refers is indeed very real. But it is the grievance of a people who turn their own misdeeds into their own victimology, thus making rational discourse all but impossible. The tragedy is that this reader and I undoubtedly have much in common — but what divides us is unbridgeable, unless the Muslim community starts to unpick the truth from the lies they have been told for so long.

It is truly a shame that so many in the Islamic community are so phenomenally credulous, particularly when it comes to mythical atrocities supposedly committed by Israel. Unfortunately some folks willingly and purposely keep themselves so ignorant of the facts that I wonder that they even have the intellect required to remember to eat or even breathe.

- Eric.

Rand, what is your opinion on this brief comment on ideas for fighting terror?

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Knock poverty off the list right away [because] as far as I've seen, the terrorist performers are not from the poor, and neither are their leaders (OBL, for example)

I'd go after the Saudis and their capacity to market Wahabbi ideas, worldwide.

and I'd start entertaining the idea that as much as Palestinians might be abused by the powers that be in Israel, they are completely used by the Islamic terrorist element.

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This last seems consistent with the writer you linked. Tell me what you think and I will tell you where it is from. (Its not me, btw)

Bill,
Do you really have to play "gotcha" so transparently?

There are certain things that characterize friendly discussion, Bill -- and that ain't one of 'em.

Which is one distinguishing characteristic between posters who disagree, and trolls, IMO.

Going after the Saudis sounds like a bad idea, but if the rest is well reasoned why would I care who said it, even if Osama himself did?

And we slide a little closer to the final option Wretchard warned of some 2 years ago. And the moderate Muslims just don't see it happening.
Sad.

What is the "final option" (although I can guess) and who is Wretchard?

It's interesting that suicide bombings tend to occur only in countries that are occupied by the West or in countries that are actively spreading their empire abroad. Do you think there might be a hint in there for us somewhere??? Neo-cons are no less terroristic and willing to spill innocent blood for their ideology than the most extreme Muslim.

Neo-cons are no less terroristic ... than the most extreme Muslim.

We'll add that to the "Bush = Hitler" list, X. Thanks.

It's interesting that suicide bombings tend to occur only in countries that [embraced Enlightenment] or in countries that are actively [opposing world's remaining feudal theocracies].

And why should they occur anywhere else? Spineless appeasers like Netherlands are no threat to Pan-Muslim Caliphate To Come, in fact they may join it in a generation or two. In such countries, dramatic and personnel-wasteful tactics are unnecessary -- simple and unabashed murders do nicely. Mohammed Bouyeri porbably counts on being released and honored as a hero within 15 years.