Middle-East scholar Daniel Pipes delivered a fascinating speech today to a small audience in New York regarding the ongoing war against radical Islam. While Pipes has been second to none in his vociferous opposition to Islamic terrorism, his speech today was notable for its argument that the gravest threat we face actually comes from nonviolent Islamist groups. According to Pipes, terrorist activities pose a relatively low risk to Western societies over the long run. Spectacular attacks like those of 9/11 and 7/7, for all their unspeakable horror, actually turn out to be counterproductive with respect to the terrorists’ purposes: They strengthen commitments to Western political values and shore up national unity, while stirring public sentiment against Islam. By contrast, Pipes argues that savvy lobbying groups have been much more effective in furthering the Islamist cause in the West. He explained his thinking in this August piece.