MUSLIM WORLD

The war against terrorism bears some resemblance to the Cold War, the long-running war against communism. After Western democracies triumphed over communism, it became easier to analyze exactly how and why we won the Cold War. We did not defeat communism with military power primarily. We never physically destroyed or invaded the armies, navies or territorial integrity of the Soviet Union or Red China. Instead, communism fell from within due to its false doctrines and weaknesses. We out-produced communism and provided a better life. A market economy was chosen by the Red Chinese and then the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union let its satellite empire go and chose democracy for Russia. The military problems we encountered in Korea, Cuba and Vietnam did not prevent victory in the Cold War. Our economies allowed the West to spend more money for defense than the Soviet and Red Chinese governments could practically afford.

Improvements in communication allowed people in communist regimes to realize the truth: Western countries were inventive, wealthier, freer, more productive and robust than the controlled profitless economies of the communist world. Freedom and democracy work better than one-party state tyranny. Individuals and companies make wiser decisions about the goods and services they produce and consume than the state.

Today, advanced powers in the world enjoy a similar advantage over Islamists, the radical terrorists. The world's advanced nations surpass the capabilities of the terrorists in almost every facet of life. The 9-11 attacks took Western technology and turned it against symbols of Western superiority, but didn't really threaten our culture. Islamists and their sympathizers intensely dislike Western superiority in so many aspects of life, because their warlike religious doctrine states they - not Christians, Jews, Hindus, atheists, agnostics or Buddhists - should triumph over other religions.

After Mongols and Crusaders clashed with the Muslim world, Islam lost power and prestige to the surrounding regions. The West learned from Muslims, but Muslims disregarded our "infidel" knowledge. Fundamentalist Muslim forces eventually destroyed Islam in Spain. We've contended with Islamist thinking before.

Much of the oil wealth acquired by Arabs in the 1970s and 1980s ended up in Western banks. The Muslim banking system still lags far behind. Despite their oil wealth, Middle Eastern countries did not absorb commensurate technical and scientific expertise and are still reliant upon Western technology, personnel and weapons. Muslim nations rank far below developed nations in measures of education, research, medicine, economic development, productivity, infrastructure, democracy and transparency. While the rest of the world embraces the social equality of women, the Muslim world for the most part does not. In some areas such as the prevention of crime, substance abuse and lewd conduct, Muslim countries surpass non-Muslim nations.

We do not have to militarily defeat Islamists or build up friendly Muslim states to preserve our dominance. Tiny Israel is able to defend itself and prosper. Left to themselves, American-hating sects, tribes and nations fight each other - and then they don't hate us as much. We need not fear the economic or political power of the Islamists, because they have very little of it.

Yes, terrorists will periodically arise from their caves and hiding places to strike us. We must defend our people and interests. We are learning about Islamic terrorists and how to defend ourselves. We, together with tolerant Muslims and all the emerging nations, will eventually defeat them. Islamists cannot surrender, because they are too de-centralized and have no organization capable of making such a decision. Their attacks are too random, infrequent and spread-out across the entire world to bring any one advanced nation down. The world will eventually sicken of their futile attacks, just as the bombings in Northern Ireland eventually disgusted the world and came to an end. We may be in for 30 more years of this terrorism, but eventually the terrorists will see the futility of their actions. The entire civilized world and all religions will increasingly turn against them with a vengeance. Their unpleasant underground lifestyles and the dirty methods they use to recruit suicide bombers will take their toll. Muslim clerics will declare holy war against them. Meanwhile, Islamists cannot stop the march of advanced technology, emerging market economies, democracies or a world hoping to live better and more securely. To a large extent, it's a matter of time.