Islamic moderates are just as human as anyone else

The vast majority of Muslims worldwide are good people. They just want to live their lives and bring up their children.

I would like to discuss this topic because so many of us are caught up in the idea that we can win this war by appealing to the ‘good’ people in the areas of the world that are so hostile to us.

In 1944, the vast majority of Germans and Japanese were good people. Yet despite that fact, they were the enemy and were actively attempting to kill us. Nationalism has been a driving force in loyalty during wartime since the rise of the nation-state a few centuries ago. Most Germans and Japanese did not hold any dislike toward the U.S. or England. However, they were Germans and Japanese first, as we are Americans first.

In 1864, the vast majority of southerners in the Confederate States of America were good people. Many did not own slaves and many were not even favorable toward it, yet they fought and died for the way of life that slavery allowed.

The fact that people are good does not matter regarding the causes of warfare. Nor will it necessarily win or lose any war that they may be engaged in. Appealing to the moderates regarding issues of these types has historically been to no avail. People will side with what they are familiar with. In addition to other issues, Islam is resisting the sovereignty and authority of the modern nation-state. Issues of this type have been around since the dawn of time. History has demonstrated time and again that people will NOT change willingly and will fight openly instead.