The Dilemma of the Islamists: Human Rights, Democratization and the War on Terror

A rise in support for radical Islamist organizations in the Middle East & North Africa is cited, but it is contended that devising a formula for predicting who radicalizes & why in North Africa is not possible. After noting how the US classifies Islamist groupings as "friends" or "foes," it is asserted that, in Morocco, this classification also occurs. Attention is given to domestic, eg, corruption & lack of political choices, & international, eg, little democratization pressure, factors underlying radicalization in Morocco. Drawing on 2002-2008 fieldwork in Morocco & research in France, Spain, Germany, & the US, focus is on the Islamist dilemma of providing security while respecting civil liberties & how this balancing of principles & the strategies used impact radical organization recruitment. Adapted from the source document.