[MMMMMM]

Hi again, Lestat,

I'm not trying to discount the political goals and aspirations on the part of the people in question; they certainly have those too. However, for the global jihadists (and bin-Laden and Zarqawi definitely are global jihadists), religious considerations are of great importance in shaping their views and goals. Actually, such persons, who take the Koran most literally, cannot truly separate the political and religious components as we can; and the ideology of Islam itself is not very tractable to such a separation, anyway.

Islam contains a code for the conduct of all human affairs, outlined out in the Koran, and elaborated on in the hadiths (along with biographical information of Muhammad's life); and Islam has the ultimate goal of eventually bringing the entire world into submission under Allah's will. Devout Muslims are those who fully submit to Allah's will. Such submission, over the entire world, is in fact is the ultimate Islamic concept of peace: all humankind under Allah, all following Allah's will and instructions, and thereby living happily and worshipfully ever after in that wonderful state. "Peace" is following Allah's will, along with other like-minded followers. And Allah's will is spelled out clearly in the Koran, because Muhammad recorded the precise words of Allah, as told to him by the archangel Gabriel (interestingly, there are no questions of authorship with the Koran, as contrasted with the various books of the Bible: the Koran is all from one source and all recorded by the Allah's Mesenger, Muhammad).

As for your bringing up the intelligence of religious fanatics: I too would guess that on average it may be on the lower side; yet, it is amazing what some intelligent people can end up believing if that is all they hear and read from the time they are little children. Imagine being forced to pray ritualistically five times a day, too. Growing up fully immersed in unquestioned religion and faith can cause many to accept such dogmas without question. Also, the fundamental aspects of personality which are developed during the early years of childhood, often tend to stay with people for a lifetime.