Islamist ideologies; Islamist political movements in the greater Middle East; civil society counterradicalization strategies; government counterterrorism policies; Salafism; Sufism; Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
Ed Husain writes, "Boston will not be the last homegrown terror attack. Bombastic statements and burying our heads in the sand do not prepare us for future attacks."
According to Ed Husain, "the answers to countering the appeal of radicalism among some Muslims in the West rests in more, not less, debating of religion, pluralist politics and integrating immigrants."
Interviewer: Ed Husain Interviewee: Mitchell Silber
A top New York City police official and author of a new book on al-Qaeda, Mitchell Silber, discusses with CFR's Ed Husain the persistent threat of a homegrown U.S. radical mounting a terrorist attack.
Ed Husain states that the Muslim Brotherhood is far removed from al-Qaeda and the supporters of violent jihad, and its rise in Egypt should not be feared.
The Islamists' lead in parliamentary polls has aroused some concerns over Egypt's democratic future. But the real threat, says CFR's Ed Husain, comes from those secular elites who prefer the former autocratic regime or military rule over elected Islamists.
Ed Husain argues that while the death of Muammar al-Qaddafi lifts the morale of the besieged protestors in countries like Syria and Yemen, it also offers clues to the real risks of chaos and extremism that can spread in the region.
Post-Qaddafi Libya will face difficulties with rebel infighting, the anger of Qaddafi loyalists, and more, but the long-time dictator's death also creates an opening for a more peaceful country. CFR's Richard Haass, Ed Husain, and Ray Takeyh weigh Libya's prospects.
Disunity among Libya's rebels, a growing Islamist radical movement, and angry Qaddafi loyalists will mean a continued need for NATO involvement to check a possible slide into chaos.
Ed Husain says political, social, and economic expectations in Egypt are running exceptionally high at the moment, but even with parliamentary elections starting next month, there is a dearth of good presidential candidates.
A new plan from the White House aimed at the prevention of domestically based, violent extremism offers little substance, and seems more concerned with not offending the U.S. Muslim community, says CFR's Ed Husain.
This video is part of a special Council on Foreign Relations series that explores how 9/11 changed international relations and U.S. foreign policy. In this video, Ed Husain, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, who was previously a member and strategist for radical Islamist organizations in London discusses the impact of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on Islamist extremism as well as global counter-terrorism efforts. "The most important thing that happened after 9/11," says Husain, "is not just the so-called 'War on Terror', but more importantly, the unspoken and often unheard developments within Islamist extremism globally." Husain argues that "the global Islamist movement then split into two, immediately after 9/11," into global jihadists like al-Qaeda on one side and non-violent extremists on the other.
Ed Husain, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, says that Osama bin Laden is more valuable to al-Qaeda dead than alive. Comparing bin Laden's death to that of Sayyid Qutb, Husain argues bin Laden could now become an even more powerful icon.
Ed Husain leads a wide-ranging discussion with AbdulMawgoud Dardery of the political challenges facing Egypt and the Freedom and Justice Party's vision for the country's future