ABSTRACT

The events of 9/11 have refocused the preference of American policy makers for 'moderate' Islam, one that has been promoted by certain sectors in the American establishment since the fall of the Soviet Empire and adopted by President Bush since 9/11.1 The Bush administration has launched several initiatives to foster, nurture and empower 'moderate' Muslims, at the same time that the Justice Department under John Ashcroft has promoted legislation and measures that allow search, seizure, and incarceration of Muslims and Arabs without evidence or recourse to legal advice. This chapter will outline some of the policies and measures implemented since 9/11 by the Bush administration and assess their impact on the American Muslim community that feels abandoned by a president it supported and helped elect. It will also discuss the pressures from government and political lobbies that are attempting to create a 'moderate Islam'.