ABSTRACT
In many ways, the Middle East seems to fit poorly with the rest of the world. At a time when armed conflict in Europe has become unthinkable and the Cold War is a distant memory, the Middle East is torn by instability and war, from global terrorism to the violence in Iraq to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. While much of the world celebrates tolerance and diversity, many in the Middle East wish the state to impose rigid adherence to a strict social code and deny full rights to religious minorities. Many in the region admire suicide bombers, prepared to kill innocent civilians and themselves in the name of their cause. How to integrate the Middle East more fully into the world community is arguably the great challenge of our times. As long as the heartland of Islam remains so troubled, there is a threat of instability spreading to other Muslim communities, ranging from Western Europe south to tropical Africa and east to China.
