A crisis of confidence is emerging in relations between the Western
and Muslim worlds, especially in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
Heightening the tension is the war on terrorism, whether defined as preventing
nonstate networks from attacking global infrastructure or warding off
the challenge of so-called rogue states. To complicate matters, the Western and
Muslim worlds themselves are divided on political and policy issues, while
constituencies on all sides fail to recognize or understand the basic forces at
play. Hence they tend to rely on symbols and slogans rather than informed
thinking in addressing their differences. In democracies of the West, even
national populations and political leaders differ in their perceptions of the
nature of the threats looming on the world’s horizon. Those leaders may well
face a backlash at the polls if they fail to educate their populations about the
realities of today’s globalizing, interdependent world, which has clearly
entered a new era in international relations.