diffusionOFregeneration

Here is an very well written introductory history of not just al-qaeda, but radical Islamic fundamentalism in general. Very useful in understanding the mindset and motives of this stream of terrorism. After this read, my sense is that terrorism and radical Islam is not primarily about religion. It is primarily motivated by a grasping for power and relevance. While religion is the primary justification for acts of violence, it does not seem clear to me that it is the primary motivation. We all know that religion of any flavor can be used as a tool in the hands of power hungry humans. That is not to say that religion per se is dangerous, other tools would be recruited and used if religion were to be abolished. Western culture has arrived at a place of relatively unrivaled power in the world, and there are people of other cultures and nationalities that want a piece of that wealth, power, and influence.

Two good movies which paint a picture of life on both sides of this conflict are Osama and Syriana. Osama shows the oppressiveness and injustice of life under radical Islam, a point also reflected in the book reviewed here. Syriana shows the oppressiveness and injustice of life under the immense power and wealth of American culture, in particular for those in the center of competition over the world’s oil supply, the middle east.