Hi Gunthr,
Let me answer your second question first, because a) I'm exhausted b) I already have a prepared answer from an earlier thread. I'll give your earlier question about Iraq in particular some more thought and see what little I can come up with...
Originally posted by Gunthr
I can't agree with you here Seagoon. I think the idea of "confronting and replacing" the Islamist ideology is pie in the sky.
Confronting Islamists is obviously possible. We kill them where we find them. But the idea of replacing Islamist ideology with another one is just not possible, if you think about it.
What could happen is that being an Islamist could become a trait not favored by nature... you know, not conducive to long life, survival and procreation? 
Could you clarify?
Gunthr, actually its confronting and neutralizing them militarily that is impossible for a number of reasons not the least of which as I mentioned earlier, there is "always more where that came from." Afghanistan is a perfect case in point. Jihadis cross the border from Pakistan, go to prepared weapons caches in safe villages, conduct attacks or attrocities and then if they can be caught while armed and in the act, are either despatched by coalition forces or captured and most likely, released. Even if they are martyred (which is after all the point for them) the Masjids and Madrassas just across the border are busily training their replacements selected from a generation that has known nothing but brutality and Sharia for as long as they've been alive. For Americans, our soldiers being killed is reason to withdraw, for Jihadis, Shaheeds being martyred is recruiting poster material. Every martyrdom video (complete with a catchy music track) shown on the net or circulated on DVDs produces scores of new recruits.
So how can we confront the Ideology that produces them? Well I believe we could begin to do that by at least "leveling the playing field." Here are 5 suggestions from a previous thread. Tell me if you find any of them to be unreasonable:
1)
Stop misdefining the problem as "terrorism" - no one dies for terrorism, terrorism is a means, not a movement or an end. We cannot defeat terrorism any more than we can defeat "bombs."
If we are unwilling to critically examine Islam, so be it, lets at least define the problem more accurately and precisely as "Jihadism" - Jihad is also a means to an end, but at least people are actually signing up to be Jihadis or Shaheeds and we are actually fighting an ideological orientation that way.
2)
Identify the ideologies that accept, encourage, or promote "Jihadism" as unacceptable and the enemies of freedom. This will mean that we are saying Wahabbism and Salafism are unacceptable. Indicate that we will do all that we can to suppress and eliminate those ideologies where we can. This will mean banning the importation of Wahhabbi media (books, tapes, videos) into our countries, deporting Wahabbi Imams, and closing down Maddrassas and Masjids that teach those doctrines.
3)
Refuse to allow countries that do not allow freedom of religion in their own nations to build houses of worship, sponsor clergy, or send in religious materials. Make it clear that until non-Muslims are allowed to freely practice their religions in Saudi Arabia and build houses of worship, the Saudis may not pour money into the construction of Islamic centers in the USA or Europe. Deny visas to citizens of those countries coming in to serve as Imams, if they would deny visas to missionaries trying to enter their own country. Deport foriegn Imams who try to get around the rules by entering under false pretenses (and yes, they also do that to missionaries - and worse - in their own countries).
4)
Indicate that in order to qualify as being "our friends" you will also have to reject and work against Wahabbism and Salafism. This will mean, for instance, that we will no longer accept the Pakistanis tolerating or encouraging Jihadist Masjids, Maddrassas, and training camps on their side of the border. Indicate that if they will not cooperate in closing them down permanently, we will take military action against those training centers proven to be sending Jihadis in ourselves.
5)
Stop affording Islam "specially protected status" in our societies. Even the playing field. If people can ridicule Christianity, why should Islam be any different? If Muslims can proselytize without it being a "hate crime", evangelizing Muslims should not be a hate crime either.
Those are just a few that I can think of off the top of my head, note that all of them are simply applying the same rules that westerners have to play by in the Isalmic world to Islam.
It's my belief that if their society were as religiously open as ours, that Islam could not compete and would begin to wither. Sharia law however, keeps it artificially protected. The Quran, for instance, could not withstand the same level of higher critical scrutiny the bible has been subjected to for 200 years in the West for a moment without complete collapse.
