Citizen Islam: The Future of Muslim Integration in the West

Asserting that one of the most serious strategic threats confronting the US and Europe is the advance of Islamism ("a political-religious ideology asserting that Muslims are obligated to convince other Muslims to restructure their private lives and societal norms to reflect God's divine law"), the author, who labels herself a Muslim moderate raised in secular Turkey and has advised Bush administration national security officials, warns that American and European government officials have failed to truly distinguish between Islam and Islamism and, partly as a result of this confusion, have been working with Islamist groups in order to integrate Muslims into society and thereby lessen anger that leads to terrorism. She argues that this approach has allowed Islamists far greater influence and the freedom to advance their ends through nonviolent means, but warns that both violent and nonviolent means pose a threat to Western democracy and religious freedom. She does note, citing the eruptions of young Muslims in the French banlieus as an example, that Western governments must make efforts to address legitimate political grievances that have promoted social and spiritual alienation among Muslims, although she doesn't mention the multiple wars being fought in Muslim countries, at least three of which are justified in whole or in part on combating Islamism, or the many other foreign policy issues that have served to anger Muslims. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)