Naming ISIL’s ideology does not help defeat it

It seems as though after every atrocity carried out by a Muslim, the discussion around violent extremism in the name of Islam comes up. One aspect in that discussion is a very basic one – what do we call it?

Last week, Donald Trump goaded his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton for not using the term radical Islam. She replied that she had no problem with using the phrase “radical Islamists” – which isn’t quite the same thing.

President Barack Obama, however, launched a broadside attack against Mr Trump for the criticism, arguing that the usage of the term “radical Islam” would simply play into the narrative of ISIL that the United States was fighting a war against Muslims at large.

The opening of the article. The full text is at The National.