This WSJ op/ed (free) makes a novel point: radical Islam spreads outside the Middle East, due to globalization, such that believers are all over world, especially in Western Europe. Western European nations’ (Germany, France, etc.) strong sense of national identity – rooted in blood, soil, and shared memory – is often inaccessible to immigrants. With Muslims increasingly segregated in these European countries, Osama appears and offers a universal vision of radical Islam stripped of any local customs or beliefs. With this, Muslims can feel a sense of belonging. So, we need to focus on integrating Muslims in Western European nations and lowering the bar to assimilate into a local culture.
The issues raised in this article are related to my post, which has five excellent comments, The Fundamental Human Need for an Identity (and Religion).