A new book by Gilles Kepel. From the Publishers Weekly review: Kepel offers an erudite critique of the narratives of both Bush and Bin Laden which considered force or violence to be a prerequisite for change in the Middle East. The book surveys the propagation of the war on terror that eventually led to the fiasco in Iraq, but unlike many critiques of the Iraq War, this study focuses on the internecine fighting between various national and sectarian Muslim groups, providing rich historical and cultural context for the internal regional politics that often have derailed U.S. policy. His analysis shifts to Europe, where he examines how different national policies of integration and multiculturalism in France and England have resulted in dramatically different experiences of terrorism. Kepel offers alternatives to the American war on terror that he believes will help to transcend terror and martyrdom and to ensure the decisive marginalization of jihadist radicalism. His prescriptions are as insightful and thoughtful as his critiques, making this a valuable read for those interested in the Middle East and current affairs generally.
From a recent Q&A with the author: Q. Is militant jihadism on the wane? A. The jihadists are not well. Their main problem is an inability to mobilize the masses. There are small groups of people who follow the jihadis, but the militants are totally unable to appeal to a broad constituency. After the attacks of September 11, which brought a lot of joy to a lot of people in the Muslim world, there were some copycat bombings, but this has not led to anything in terms of mobilization. The jihadis have not been able to launch a major attack since the 7/7 bombings [of 2005], in London. The masses don't think the Islamists can deliver anything. And when you look at jihadist literature on the Internet, as I do, you see a tremendous amount of internal fighting that is getting worse and worse.
Beyond Terror and Martyrdom: The Future of the Middle East | 
