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Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
I don't really agree with this theory at all.
For one, Islam isn't one religion. There are various sects, and some of them hate one another more than the other religions. They are literally committing genocide against other Islamic sects around the world.
What I see is a destabilized part of the world (thanks to years of interference from the west - mainly the USA and Britain) who keep that part of the world destabilized in order to have more control.
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Sorry, but this outlook - and it's widespread - betrays a woeful ignorance of history. It's fundamentally wrong on two fronts:
1) If foreign imperialism and meddling in itself gave rise to radical terrorism, why aren't we seeing terrorism in all the other destabilized parts of the world? Vietnam was colonized and brutally exploited for centuries, and less than 50 years ago being bombed into the stone age by Americans. Where are the Vietnamese jihadis blowing themselves up at restaurants and pop concerts? Or the Congolese terrorists? Or the Hondurans?
2) How does it explain that everywhere Islamic societies borders with non-Islamic societies we have radicalized violence? Not only in the Middle East, but in Nigeria, Chad, Kenya, India, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines? Why aren't the Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists in those regions blowing themselves up and slaughtering civilians?
There is a political dimension to this issue. But religion is the catalyst. And certain strains of Islam have proven remarkably effective agents for radicalization. Far more effective than any Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or secular ideology today.