I find the naivete of some contributers rather scarey. To blame Tony Blair, Bush, Iraq or Afganistan for the situation we now find ourselves is missing the point by political blindness. It is true these things have exacerbated the situation but the problem is much older and deeper
Some 40 years ago, before the fall of the Iron Curtain, I was told that the next world threat was not the USSR or communisum but the expantion of the Muslim world. There is a fundimental belief that only Muslims share the 'true belief' Unbelievers automaticly lose there right to life, property etc.
It is this teaching that is slowly gaining ground because of the fear of being classed as a racist and the wish to be politicaly correct.
Religious bigotry is not new. We have had the Crusades, the Inquisition but they were up front and personal. This new threat is much more sinister. Blaming current events is futile. The Taliban or Iraq rebel is not fighting for the big picture, they have there own agenda. What they are doing is producing the disaffected fighters who hear the message of hate and feel they can only gain by following the 'death to infidels'route.
We know what the terrorist can do so everyone must stand up and condemn this evil by name, and that includes the whole Muslim community because when the s*** hits the fan mass slaughter does not ask your religion.
ps I am normally quite passive