[Byrns]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It's not just about Islam, though that's part of it. It's not just about anti-Western politics, though that's part of it. It's not even just about Islam and colonialism - if it were, why doesn't Indonesia foster violent radicalism? The third element is the honour-bound warrior culture of the conservative Middle East.

So think of it as a venn diagram. One circle is Islam. One circle is failed post-colonial states that lack civil institutions. The third is fiercely anti-modern honour culture. Where those circles overlap you have rich soil for jihadists.

At its heart, this is a furious reaction against modernity. Against liberal notions of rationalism, individual freedom, and the rights of women. Given how many young men in the Middle East are far more conservative than the most dyed-in-the-wool 70-year-old racist in the American South, and how dire the economic prospects are for parts of the world where women essentially are shut out of public life and where innovation and entrepreneurship are negligible, this isn't going to go away any time soon.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bali_bombings