For U.S. political and pundit classes, “radical Islamic extremism” has become a catch-all term to describe acts of mass violence committed by individuals and groups believed to be Muslim. This label has fueled the incitement against Muslims mounting during the US presidential election, which has been highlighted by Donald Trump calling for a Muslim registry and a ban on Muslims from entering the country.The Prophet's tomb in Medina is second only to the Kaaba in Mecca as a Muslim holy place. This would be comparable to "radical Christian extremes" attacking visitors to the Holy Sepulcher in the old city of Jerusalem.
But as a wave of mass killings sweeps Muslim-majority countries, staining the month of Ramadan with the blood of innocents and even targeting the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad, it should be clear that Muslim people and institutions are the primary victims of this week’s staggering violence. Given this reality, observers argue that it is time to retire the overly-broad category of “radical Islamic extremism” and instead interrogate the global factors that have set these these cycles of violence in motion.…
This is obviously a political attack designed to show that the government does not control the country, a tactic characteristic of guerrilla insurgents. The aim is to discredit the House of Saud as the legitimate government. The objective is regime change.
AlterNet
