By Andrew L. Jaffee

Yet another unspeakable atrocity was committed by Muslims against other Muslims in Iraq today: “At least 102 130 people have been killed and 215 300 injured in a lorry bombing at a market place in central Baghdad, Iraqi security officials have said.” We can safely take it for granted that no one in the Muslim world, except for a few obscure thinkers, will be critical of this act. Instead we hear the usual denial and victimization theories, even though most Muslims being killed nowadays are victims of other Muslims (see “We’re vilified like Jews by the Nazis, says Muslim leader”). But what effect will such savagery have on Western public opinion?

In my own empirical analysis of American thoughts and opinions on the Iraq war, I have found a sea-change, even among my left-wing acquaintances. No, they still don’t support the Iraq war — and I’m not so sure I support it any longer, as we can’t force Iraqis to become civilized. What I have noticed is a gradual movement away from the “Muslims are victims of the West” mindset, and a growing revulsion at unprecedented Islamist violence. I find that more and more people are openly questioning what is wrong with Muslim society. At least we’ve reached step 1 of a recovery process: admitting that there is a problem.