It appears that the highest ranking cleric in Saudi Arabia has taken the occasion of the haj (a very important occasion for all muslims) to deliver a sermon against terrorism. How important this is will become more clear as his words circulate and are translated into more languages but so far it's looking a great deal like progress.
I've always maintained that it is the theologians who will win the war on terror. If hell is the destination of the suicide bomber according to muslim consensus, we will shortly find the practice falling into disuse. If jihad is examined and re-examined to take into account the modern pluralistic world into proper account, even more progress might be made. This, at heart, is a war fought on religious terms. We win a great victory without firing a shot every time a muslim cleric exposes the false theology of our enemies.
Update: The Chicago Tribune also has an article (which is a bit longer than the LAT article referenced above).
Posted by TMLutas at February 2, 2004 11:50 AM