It may be that this was Mr bin Laden's plan: to revive the idea that Islam and the West are doomed to collide and make the idea into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

ECONOMIST: Much has been achieved, but things are now going badly

The Palestinian Authority's prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, sounded hopeful for the first time that the Israelis' proposed withdrawal from the Gaza Strip could revive a peace process, provided there was also a withdrawal from the West Bank.

ECONOMIST: Iraq killings

The Brothers' desire for good relations with the West and for tourism to revive will make a confrontation less likely.

ECONOMIST: Israel and the Islamists