But ideas have consequences. The saturation of such messages over Arab and some Muslim media has made many believers. They, like the masses in Hitler's rallies or the fanatics of imperial Japan, really believe this stuff. Hence the crowds in Yassir Arafat's Palestine cheering at the news of the destruction of the World Trade Center towers. One of our aims in this war against terrorism must be to change the public dialogue in the Arab and Muslim world.
Someone needs to make the case for freedom and democracy.
Some of that can be done by an Arab version of the old Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. But much must be done by Arab and Muslim regimes themselves. But that could have been said four weeks ago about Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf. Now, having concluded he must enlist in our war against terrorism, Musharraf is making the case against the hatred propaganda too. It will be said as well that people's ideas cannot be changed.