[quidnunc]

optimistically_conservativewrote: (If it's not a religious war, just what would you call it?) Culture war. And not limited to a struggle between Muslims and Jews (plus "the West") but between neo-caliphates and everyone they consider kufr, including Muslims.

In the Muslim world culture is inseparable from Islam.

Devout Muslims consider the Koran to be a comprehensive instruction book on the business of living one's life.

Except for religion the non-Muslims living in the Middle East share most of the cultural traits as the Muslims, but they are not at war with the West.

No, this is a religious war.

[optimistically_conservative]

Except for religion the non-Muslims living in the Middle East share most of the cultural traits as the Muslims, but they are not at war with the West.

I believe that would be considered an irrelevant conclusion. For example, except for religion, the Muslims everywhere share most of the cultural traits as the non-Muslims in their society, but they are not at war with the West either.

We are not at war with most Muslims, either in the Middle East or outside of it. We couldn't win that war anyway.

In the Muslim world culture is inseparable from Islam.

And yet, there are a number of predominantly Muslim cultures, and many interpretations of Islamic theology. We are at war with the neo-caliphates and their cultural ambitions.