By Shirin Taber
As an Iranian-American, I often get asked about the crisis in the Muslim world. I try to lean into the conversation, knowing a lot of sincere people are grasping for solutions.
After the Iraq War, most Americans want to avoid creating a Vietnam-style scenario in the Middle East. We have learned that we can no longer apply colonial remedies or strong arm our enemies in a conflict. As UC Davis law professor Karima Bennoune, author ofYour Fatwa Does Not Apply Here, puts it: “We need an unyielding and thoughtful response to jihadist terror. Force is not enough. Moreover, the right needs to understand that force alone is not enough, and misused force can have disastrous consequences. And the left needs to come to terms with the fact that sometimes force must be used to destroy movements bent on deliberately mowing down civilians.”
Islam and religious freedom are perhaps the most important issue of our time. We need thoughtful strategies to benefit Muslim societies. In researching this issue, I spoke with Mary Habeck (John Hopkins), Jennifer Bryson (Zephyr Institute), Daveed Gartenstein-Ross (Georgetown University), Mike Constantz (PEACE Plan, Saddleback Church) and Kathleen Cooke (Cooke Productions). While they shared their feedback with me as a friend or coworker, I believe their thoughts are significant, and should be passed on to others.
Click here to read the rest of the article 9 Ways To Counter Radical Islam