Breeding Bin Ladens

While much of American foreign policy is focused on fighting extremists in the Middle East and South Asia, many American leaders have lost sight of a growing threat closer to home: the growing ambivalence of Europe’s Muslims. Until the United States and Europe adopt new strategies to attract the hearts and minds of moderate Muslims living in the West, Shore argues, Europe will increasingly become the incubation ground for breeding new Bin Ladens. Shore asserts that “No one is born a terrorist; terrorists are bred” and that therefore it is imperative to understand the thoughts and feelings of Europe’s younger Muslims, most of whom would never commit violence, but some of whom could be tempted to sympathize with terrorist acts. He gives voice to people of deep faith who speak of the conflict between their desire to integrate into their adopted societies and the repulsion they feel toward some of what the West represents.