Europe's Challenge is Integration, Not 'Eurabia'

A very alarmist mood has lately become the norm among experts of Islam in Europe. Is Europe doomed to become an extension of the Arab West? If you ask the eminent historian Bernard Lewis, the answer is yes. Migration and demography are working toward creating "Eurabia." This allegedly unstoppable march of Islam in Europe is causing unprecedented anxiety for both Europeans and Americans. Emotions run high, and facts are in short supply on both sides of the Atlantic.

Americans are understandably concerned about the "next" Sept. 11. After all, wasn't Mohammed Atta, the ringleader of the hijackers that struck that day, a young Egyptian Muslim radicalized in Europe? For Europeans, the danger is much closer -- in their very own home. Unaccustomed to being a land of immigration, they are increasingly worried about their cultural identity, economic wellbeing and physical security. When emotions run so high, perception defines reality: Futuristic novels titled, "La Mosquée de Notre-Dame," urban legends about Mohammed being the most common name for newborns in Europe, and arguments over which European city will become the capital of Eurabia define what has become a sensationalistic debate. ...