Ever since \u00a0The Islamic State Of Iraq \u00a0and \u00a0Levant\u00a0 (ISIS)have taken the most violent ideology of our time\u00a0 onto a whole new level,\u00a0 \u00a0I\u2019ve been closely watching how the debate on\u00a0 Islamic radicalism is shaping up, both in liberal western societies and in Muslim countries.<\/p>\n
The phenomenon of Islamists seeking and recently grabbing power is forcing policy makers to radically rethink their approach. The heightened threat from the extremists has already prompted further airport security measures in Europe and the USA.\u00a0\u00a0 Politicians have finally started talking in earnest about the dangers of radicalisation among their young Muslim populations.\u00a0 As the boundaries in the Middle East began to unravel, so, too, did old camps.\u00a0 Decades -long enmities were pushed aside in order to deal with the growing ambitions of the militant jihadists.<\/p>\n
Yet, the media and civil society in general are still finding it difficult to discuss the issue of radical Islamism openly and honestly.<\/p>\n
With few exceptions that call a spade a spade, the majority of analysis and comment centre around \u00a0the \u201charmful past actions of the west\u201d being the root cause of the violence we are \u00a0experiencing right now.<\/p>\n
Of course, the commentators are right to remind us of the errors of the past policies of their governments. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Almost every radical Islamist group has had one or more states funding and supporting it. \u00a0The Taleban,\u00a0 Al-Qaida , al-Shabab , Boko Haram and\u00a0 ISIS all had help from countries that are finding themselves at the receiving end of their terror now.\u00a0 Tactical support provided by various governments\u00a0\u00a0 to Islamists forces in order to undermine their foes definitely needs to be questioned.<\/p>\n
However, putting the responsibility at the door of the Americans or the British, looking for conspiracies that do not exist and making up excuses for the spiraling violence are not only na\u00efve but seriously misguided.<\/p>\n
The examples of savagery and viciousness, rape and torment, vitriolic hatred of other believers and disbelievers can still be explained by some as the \u201cinevitable result of the victimization of Muslims, Islamophobia-\u00a0 and the criminalization of\u00a0 Muslim opinion\u201d .<\/p>\n
The apologists argue that ISIS represents no more of the fundamental fault lines that exist in the Muslim world than the Lords Army might represent that of Christianity.<\/p>\n
Equally deplorable their record may be, but comparing the nature and impact of \u00a0militant Islamism on a global stage with that of a Ugandan-based rebel movement is ludicrous. In his recent column<\/a>, for the Times, David Aaronovitch \u00a0argues:<\/p>\n