Since the transit bombings in London, Britain has been preoccupied with the internal threat of Islamic extremists. On Friday, Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged to deport extremist clerics, close down their mosques and ban Muslim groups that preach violence or glorify terror. He also wants to reach out to moderate Muslims who want to retain their dress and culture but deplore terrorism in any form. Some of those same moderates feel caught between a rock and a hard place; they think terrorism is fueled by British and US policies, but if they say so, they're accused of sympathizing with the extremists. Should Iraq and the Middle East get more debate in Britain and the US or is policy irrelevant to a violent perversion of the Muslim faith? We hear from journalists, political scientists and Muslims, including a recent candidate for Britain's Parliament. (An extended version of this discussion was originally broadcast earlier today on To the Point.)
KCRW
