There is no blinder person than one who refuses to see. Headlines come at a dime dozen. There are no limits to the speculative fancy. "Egyptian bombs could mark new tactics". "Analysts don't see latest attacks as linked". "In Britain, migrants took a new path: to terrorism". "London bombers may have been dupes." "Many terrorist bombs but the links are unclear."

Beneath, there are gems. "That said, there is the conviction among intelligence agencies in Europe and the Middle East that terrorism inspired by Al Qaeda's ideology, carried out in the name of a violent interpretation of Islam, has entered a new, dangerous and global phase". "One senior counterterrorism official said, ‘Al Qaeda is finished, but there is Al Qaedism. This is a powerful ideology that drives local groups to do what they think Osama bin Laden wants'". "Citing the attacks in Madrid, Bali, Saudi Arabia, and other places, Goss warned of the terrorist threat posed from a broader Sunni jihadist movement even beyond Al Qaeda". "The looser the operational connections become and the less Islamist terrorism is instigated by a single figure, the harder it will be to uncover exploitable links and the more likely that the instigators of future terrorist attacks will escape the notice of US intelligence, Pillar wrote last years in an article that appeared in some academic journal." This is American freedom of expression in action, especially freedom to say twaddle, but as to objectivity, you can search high and low.

If the Pakistani nuclear proliferation network escaped American detection, anything can. The bottom-line of this daily outpour in the media is that Americans and Europeans haven't the slightest idea of what is driving Muslim terrorism. Qaidism does not exist. Two guys in Europe came up with the idea that the roots of Islamic terrorism were in jihadism and a kind of recondite Islamic fascism. They argue that Muhammad created an Islamic empire. He did not. There is a Jewish-American who knows all about it: "If it's a Muslim problem, it needs a Muslim solution", he wrote. He indited these jewels: "But when Al-Qaeda-like bombings come to the London underground, that becomes a civilizational problem"; "It is essential that the Muslim world wake up to the fact that it has a jihadist death cult in its midst"; etc. He did include this sentence: "Once, she said, the two saw Osama bin Laden's image on the shop's television. And I say: ‘'Terrorism is terrible', Nursal recalled. Then he says, ‘Why is it terrible? They are killing Muslim people; that's why terrorists are doing this'."

Jihadism is the forcible imposition of Mohammedanism on non-Mohammedans. Osama bin Laden may be a fanatic. He is also the most successful terrorist in history. He is certainly not about to believe that Islam can succeed world-wide through terrorist bombings. How exactly are terrorist bombings furthering Islam in Muslim countries? It takes being very dumb to believe that Islam is engaged in global jihad. There is no such a thing as a clash of civilizations. Clash of civilizations was what Europe promoted with its subjection of India and its penetration of Qing China.

The facts are there for any one who wants to see them. There is indeed a Muslim campaign of terrorism that transcends national borders. It's not likely that bin Laden is coordinating or financing it. But, unlike what the Jewish-American wrote, this campaign is neither civilizational nor is it a Muslim problem.

The facts further are: (1) Israel was created in 1948; (2) Israel occupied Gaza and the West Bank in 1967; (3) under Menachem Begin (1977-1983) Israeli settlements in Gaza and West Bank mushroomed; (4) the First Intifada (1987-1993) was crushed; (5) Oslo accords were signed (1993); (6) Benyamin Natanyahu was elected PM of Israel vowing to disregard Oslo (1996); (7) Israel had settled around 200,000 people in the West Bank and Gaza (2000); (8) the Second Intifada (2000-2005?) is characterized by suicide bombings and by the Israeli army's unrestricted use of repressive means (including political assassinations); (9) the USA destroyed Iraq gratuitously (2003-2005?). Iraqi dead are in the hundreds of thousands. USA forces are still occupying Iraq.

The number of Palestinians killed resisting or fighting Israel is somewhere between 5000 and 10000 (conservatively if vaguely), not counting the 2000 or more Palestinian refugees killed in the Sabra and Chatilla areas of Beirut (1983). Israel has thousands of tanks and aircraft and Palestinians do not. Though sporadic, Palestinian resistance continues and so does Israeli repression, trebly. The USA has backed Israel at all times and stands up for Israel against world protest. As long as this sore is suppurating, there will be Muslim terrorism.

There is nothing "civilizational" here. Israel is oppressing Palestinians. The USA is occupying Iraq. This is basically political and military. The Muslim reaction to this is political and military. Invoking religion is a means to further the political and military struggle. When The Nazis invaded the USSR,  Stalin didn't say: "Let's all defend communism"; he said: "Let's all defend Mother Russia." But the result anyway was the defense of communism. Likewise, Muslim terrorists and fighters say: "Let's attack in the name of Islam"; but they are striking blows for Palestinians and against Israel and the USA. When will this end? When Israel and the USA come to their senses.