This comparison of two excellent books on the subject of political Islam provides superb insight into the nature of what we see today, and even more importantly explains the importance of avoiding some false conceptions about Islam and Political Islam.

Robert Worth provides a short (3 page) overview of the origins of bin Laden's ideology first in the Salafi (modernizer or reformist) movement, and more importantly in Sayyid Qutb's rejections of the immorality of the infidel West.

A scholarly argument that the Islamist movement represents an imitative but reactionary response to Western ideology, from which it derives state power, but loses religious and social legitimacy. This is a social constructivist argument.

Review of the bargain struck between the House of al-Saud and the followers Ibn Abd- al-Wahhab that now puts the royal family under pressure from the west, from domestic demands for liberalization and their religious supporters.

Review of a book by Natana J. Delong-Bas offering an explication of the theology of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, but portraying him as humanistic, in contrast to the bloodthirsty behavior of his disciples. His war against the accumulated legal traditions and mysticism constitutes an important point in civil war within Islam.

A Pundit questions the logic of the accusation that military activities in Iraq result in an increase in the number of terrorists

A story of a man who wanted to be an Muslim martyr, showing the importance of political entrepreneurs who instill the necessary ideas as well as the rational instrumental necessity for the logistics of money, training and transportation for the terror enterprise.