Letters to the Editor
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The Right is Concerned for the Wrong Reasons
It's true that the Islamic world is terribly illiberal and that we should be concerned about it but leaving it up to the right is not any kind of option because they are not concerned about the Islamic world because of how illiberal it is. They view the Islamic world as a natural enemy. They need an enemy to feel that they are in a righteous struggle and Islamic fundamentalism serves their purpose. It also gives them increased power at home because it keeps people scared and inclines them to support leadership that promises protection.
So then it comes back to the question, 'are they really such a threat?'. The answer is no. They are a mirage like the Wizard of Oz. Zarqawi was a nobody. A simple thug. They inflated him to create the impression that 'Al Qaeda' (a name created to use an obscure law that was designed to fight organized crime, against someone involved in the original bombing of the World Trade Center) has a powerful presence in Iraq. The whole thing is blown way out of proportion and Beinart is fueling paranoia about it.