To the Point

Islam, Religion and Democracy

In the "war on terrorism," it appears the military may be less significant than economic actions and int'l diplomacy. Dealing effectively with the Islamic world is key, where religion may be the most important factor of all. Terrorists are accused of invoking the God of Islam to justify mass murder. Westerners want to know if that is according to the Koran, or a perversion of a great religious tradition. Also, we examine whether Jews and Christians are that different from Muslims who have also invoked God's approval for self-interested actions. Religious and international relations experts explore conflicting views. Newsmaker: Jihad Schools and Local Sentiment - Despite no military response by the United States countering the Sept 11 attacks, tension is building in places that expect to be caught up in the action. Jack Kelley is foreign correspondent for USA Today. Reporter's Notebook: US Plan to Make Peace in the Middle East - Reportedly, the September 11 attacks interrupted the Bush administration's announcement supporting the creation of a Palestinian state. It seems that moderate Arab states are pushing to revive the plan in order to gain domestic support to join the anti-terrorism coalition. Steve Mufson joins us from The Washington Post.