Anyone who holds out hope about the near term in Iraq or the future of America's relations with the Islamic world in general will find Faith at War depressing.

The book details the travels of Wall Street Journal foreign correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov to a dozen countries with large Muslim populations in the three years after September 11, 2001. These include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan and even Bosnia and Timbuktu in Mali. Through a wide range of interviews, Trofimov provides insight into attitudes in those countries. It is not a pretty picture.

Much of today's Islamic fundamentalism stems from Wahhabism, a movement that not only arose in Saudi Arabia but helped bring the Saud family to power. Therefore, Trofimov's book begins there, exploring the history of that movement, the Sunni-Shiite divide and the political issues boiling under the surface in that country and how it could become the source for much anti-American feeling.

As Trofimov travels to Yemen, Kuwait and other countries, we begin to see just how widespread anti-Americanism is and the equally widespread support for violent jihad. The depth of and pride in violence of some of the Islamic movements is shown in almost exaggerated style in Trofimov's visit to Lebanon. Leaving Beirut and heading toward a former Israeli security zone, the view borders on unbelievable, with huge billboards along the road carrying the pictures of Hezbollah suicide bombers and praising their actions.

Balance of review at http://prairieprogressive.com/?p=560