While Western diplomats at the meeting were unwilling to accept a link between Western military intervention and Islamic radicalism, he says, it remains one widely believed across the Muslim world. BBC News
And here's the thing....it doesn't really matter whether or not western diplomats are willing to accept the link. It exists in the minds of millions of people and therefore must be addressed. Denial is not going to work in this situation and, in fact, will make things worse. Diplomats can believe whatever they damned well please, but their job, as I understand it, involves taking into consideration that the folks they are dealing with are quite likely to have a different view of things. If that wasn't the case, we wouldn't need diplomats, so unless they want to believe themselves out of jobs, it might behoove them to start figuring out a way to find a middle ground. Funny thing about middle ground - no one likes it but quite often it is seen as acceptable simply because it is not what the other side wanted, either.
I'd give a whole lot for some middle ground right here at home, but I'm not holding my breath because blue isn't my color...
