New Assessment of the Jihadist Threat Released

(H/T Jihad Watch)The United States Military Academy has released a report citing the declining influence of figures such as Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri in jihadist circles because of the increasing global spread brought about by the internet. The real cultivation of radical ideology seems to be coming from chatrooms and forums. But, here's the really harrowing news:

The report found that radical Islam, sometimes called Salafism, is so deeply embedded in the Arab world that Salafis now constitute a “majority or significant portion” of the Muslim population in the Middle East and North Africa.

Contrary to what I've read and heard--and most of that was from conservatives--the threat from radical Islam is much greater than many previously thought. The folks at Jihad Watch have been saying this for some time, but I guess I didn't want to overstate the problem.

One difficulty is being able to discuss this without the demanded qualifiers (you know, the litany of "of courses" that has to follow any claim about radical Islam.) Again, I think it's time we speak through the emotion surrounding this issue to get at the facts.