Mark, but with the advent of 21st century terrorism, Militant Islamists believe they now finally have the weapon they need to defeat Judeo-Christian society militarily.

In Ataturk’s time, terrorism meant throwing a bomb in a carriage or shooting a prince. Now it means 9/11 or – with WMD – something much worse.

Plus, in Ataturk’s time the Muslim world was mired in poverty. Today, that is still true but there are billions of dollars in oil money sloshing around in a significant number of Muslim countries. Those funds can be used to keep the terrorists funded and armed. It can be used for PR. It can be used to win friends and influence people.

Also, in Ataturk’s time, people in the West understood that in wars, casualties must be expected. Now, the view is a widespread in the West that wars should not be fought if they will involve much blood and treasure.

The Islamist strategy is not entirely unrealistic. And for now at least, Islamist regimes are not collapsing. They are spreading.