Quote Originally Posted by goesh View Post
I think the complexity of conversions of this nature are beyond our Western capabililty of fully understanding. If it is working in Saudi Arabia, we can't fully understand it and we can only best honor the purists by shooting them in the head.
In the case of Egypt's very successful deradicalization effort, carrot and stick methods—including regulation of conjugal visits by prisoners' wives—were used to induce the shift. It has been a major shift too, with the once militant Islamic Group and parts of Jihad now engaged in active proselytization for the cause of non-violent Islamism, and engaged in a very pointed rhetorical battle with AQ over the issue.

There are many other factors at play too, including theological engagement by pro-regime clerics (more important in Saudi Arabia than Egypt) and longer term socialization by civil society, but I'm not sure that the dynamics of deradicalization are inherently so complex and culturally-bound as to not be understandable. (Replicable by outsiders is, however, another thing!)