Political grievances drive terrorism more than religious ideology does

Evidence

While prominent Muslim terrorists like bin Laden often invoke religious language and symbols, it is doubtful that religious ideology is the main driving force behind their violent acts. John Esposito argues that the causes of terrorism are more often than not rooted in political and economic grievances. Statements from bin Laden and other terrorists often refer to the long history of Western interventionism in Muslim-majority regions and to larger political grievances, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the presence of US military troops in the Middle East, US exploitation of the Middle East’s oil and energy resources, and the legacy of European colonialism. Even if we consider the possibility that the religious convictions articulated by Muslim terrorists are genuine, religion alone cannot explain their actions. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 284

Categorization

• XREF: Relates to the reader’s interest in where religion as a category flattens political analysis into Islamophobia. — connects to: Torture creates more terrorists than the bombs it uncovers; European terror prior to 2004 came mainly from nationalist rather than religious movements — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 388; Gallup polling shows Muslim religiosity correlates with rejecting rather than supporting terrorism — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 674 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Terrorism is not uniquely Islamic but also stems from corruption and state negligence #expands (0.70)
• Islamophobic terrorism operates on incoherent, circular grievances #complicates (0.55) — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 67
• Market incentives drive the media to reinforce rather than challenge religious explanations of terrorism #complicates (0.50)