Amir Taheri: Why they did it

An excellent wake-up call to Britain and the world:

[S]orry, old chaps, you are dealing with an enemy that does not want anything specific, and cannot be talked back into reason through anger management or round-table discussions. Or, rather, this enemy does want something specific: to take full control of your lives, dictate every single move you make round the clock and, if you dare resist, he will feel it his divine duty to kill you.

Wake up, folks. It's time to get serious. We simply cannot carry on a meaningful dialogue until we all understand the enemy we collectively face. All Chamberlain had to do to understand Hitler was to read his book and listen to his speeches. Similarly, all we need to do to understand the jihadis is to read their writings and listen to their speeches. Friends, resistance is necessary, or we will be eliminated.

It is perhaps understandable that the more westernized and integrated Muslims would prefer not to take a side in this fight. Unfortunately for them, the rest of us really don't have any reliable way of distinguishing between a Muslim who is truly opposed to terrorism and a Muslim who only claims to be. To the extent that Muslims of good faith have insights to share on that point, we have a right to expect them to do so. We have a right to demand of all citizens, whether they be Christian, Jewish or Muslim, that they pick a side. We know who many of the jihadis are. We know where many of the radical mosques are. The jihadis need to be rounded up. The radical mosques need to be shut down. Peaceful Muslims of good faith should welcome, rather than oppose, these moves. If a white skinheads group was bombing buses in the name of bald white guys, I'd want nothing more than to see that group and its friends rounded up ASAP.