The American Spectator

, a translation of which is here . And although most of his countrymen have not been terribly forthcoming in his defense, the threats on Redeker’s life were condemned by his fellow French philosophers who published a letter reading: br> /p>

A handful of fanatics brandishes alleged religious laws to jeopardise our most basic freedoms. To which threats are now added the murmurings audible across Europe about the ‘provocations’ we must avoid in order not to antagonise these supposed foreign sensibilities. Times are getting tough in Europe. Now is not the moment for cowardice.

br> In Great Britain, Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly announced that funding will be cut off to Muslim groups that teach hate: “It is only by defending our values that we will prevent extremists radicalising future generations of terrorists.” While Home Secretary John Reid added , “You don’t have to love everything George W. Bush stands for to hate everything that Osama Bin Laden stands for.”

And most recently in Somalia, Ethiopian forces have deposed the radical Islamic Courts Union that had controlled much of the country since early last year. On Monday, U.S. forces launched air strikes against terrorist elements there and the USS Eisenhower and three other warships have been dispatched to the Somali coast to block any retreat by sea they might seek.

p>Typically, al Qaeda’s number-two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri released a statement urging “all Muslims to respond to the appeal for jihad in Somalia.” But in the face of this, returning Somali president Yusuf Ahmed has