G'Day Rob and Merv,

I think your points are well made about those who seek the universal implementation of Sharia. However, I have several issues arising from the way in which we (the 'west') approach this:

1. We ignore the fact that their ability to achive this is about on par with my ability to get an NBL contract - zero. Yet we conflate the threat posed to an existential one. I agree with your point regarding the fact that they might yet cause a whole lot of destruction and damage - but, as bad as that could be, that is not going to end our state system. Yet we carry on as if it will.

2. Not all Muslims who are insurgent want Sharia. In my part of the world many of them are seeking ethnic or sub- nationalist agendas. If 'sharia' is actually on the list of demands it is a low order one.

3. Not all insurgents are Muslim, what good defining insurgency or terrorism in terms of Jihad if you are trying to counter the LTTE, FARC, ETA or the OPM? I perceive a real danger to our wider world view and policy formulations if we let the preoccupations that some nations ( mine included) have with Islamic terrorism obscure the true nature of the problem that regional and local insurgencies, of all flavours, pose to States in the globalised era. (And I am not talking about the obvious association with violence).

I am arguing for a more measured approach than what we have seen to date. The hysteria that has been whipped up about radical islam and jihad within the west makes Macarthyism seem balanced.

I am not saying we ignore the problem. Yes, we need to do something; yes we should not tolerate the development of such movements that seek to attack our people and yes , we should be proactive in pursuing them. But we need to do so with a clear vision and perspective about the true nature of the problem and its actual ability to threaten (and what it can threaten).

This is something that seems to have been lacking, and to my mind, remains lacking. And we are not helped by those who mistake polemicism for insight, and rhetoric as a subsitution for well thought through and enacted plans.

regards

Mark