redblueamerica.com

I hope the "let's kill all the jihadis" crowd is reading the L.A. Times today. Indonesia, it seems, has had remarkable success in reducing the terrorist threat there:

But if they really hoped to reduce the pool of possible new recruits for groups like Jemaah Islamiah, Indonesian leaders realized they had to win public support for their battle. Otherwise, police could arrest or kill hundreds of militants, and new radicals would just take their place.

To win militants' hearts and minds, Indonesia instituted a program called deradicalization. Realizing that hard-core militants will not listen to prominent Muslim moderates, whom they view as soft, as irreligious or as tools of the government, the deradicalization initiative employs other militants -- former terrorist fighters or trainers. These are men like Nasir Abas, once a Jemaah Islamiah leader, who have sworn off most types of violence. Former fighters who agree to help the deradicalization program often receive incentives, such as reduced sentences or assistance for their families.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Jihadism is an idea -- and there are other, competing ideas out there. Some military action will be required to defend ourselves from it. But it's important to compete in the realm of ideas -- killing people doesn't kill ideas, after all, and can actually aid their spread.