For decades, radicals have been exploiting the tensions between Islamic theology and the modern secular state - typically by starting debate with the question: "Are you British or Muslim?"
But the main reason why radicals have managed to increase their following is because most Muslim institutions in Britain just don't want to talk about theology.
They refuse to broach the difficult and often complex truth that Islam can be interpreted as condoning violence against the unbeliever - and instead repeat the mantra that Islam is peace and hope that all of this debate will go away.
This has left the territory open for radicals to claim as their own. I should know because, as a former extremist recruiter, I repeatedly came across those who had tried to raise these issues with mosque authorities only to be banned from their grounds.
Every time this happened it felt like a moral and religious victory for us because it served as a recruiting sergeant for extremism.
----------
Gee, who else is always running around saying Islam is a religion of peace and avoiding the debate over the nature of the religion itself? Butt said that Islam must bring itself out of the dark ages. Whether or not that is possible is itself a robust debate. But the current state of denial, and having the likes of Bush enable that state of denial, means there is no pressure on Islam for such self-examination.
Bush's incessant reference to "Islam is a religion of peace" is bad enough.
But Gordon Brown is even worse...
The allies have a bona fide leadership crisis.