Why Radical Islam Just Won't Die

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/opinion/23berman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=berman&st=nyt&oref=slogin- Hide quoted text -

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>Date: Sun, Mar 23, 2008 at 8:38 PMSubject: Why Radical Islam Just Won't DieTo: letters@nytimes.com

To the Editor: Paul Berman falsely equates Radical Islam with Iraq, then goes on to assert that we have tried all possible responses. We have not. In 2001, the American president had the opportunity to lead a broad international coalition to wipe out the threat from Al Qaeda. The governments and peoples of Saudi Arabia and Iran stood ready to join us in this venture. Instead, president Bush preferred to claim the powers of a "war-time president". With a single word, he alienated our most valuable allies in this war, as he called for "crusade". Six and a half years later, Osama bin Laden is still at large and the American people are no safer. Iraq has proven to be a distraction from our real struggle with Islam Extremism. We look forward to the next administration, which may spend more energy on our global security, and less on aggrandizing the office of the president.Barry Levine1142 Brown AveLafayette, CA 94549