Radical Islam: The Threat We Refuse To Name

After the Bondi terror attack, the Australian government moved quickly — not to confront the ideology that drove the violence, but to announce gun reforms. It was predictable. And it was evasive.

Once again, Western leaders have avoided the central issue: radical Islamism.

After every Islamist attack, the same ritual plays out. Politicians rush to reassure the public with the mantra “not all Muslims.” Of course that is true. The vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, law-abiding citizens. But endlessly repeating that line has become a substitute for action — a way to shut down discussion rather than confront reality.

The uncomfortable truth is this: a violent minority does not need mass support to wreak havoc. History is littered with examples where small, ideologically driven groups imposed terror while the peaceful majority stood powerless. Good intentions do not stop extremists. Ideology does.

What we are dealing with is not Islam as a faith, but Islamism — a political creed that legitimises violence, glorifies martyrdom, and seeks to impose a theocratic order. It selectively weaponises religious texts and turns belief into justification for murder. Refusing to name this ideology does not protect Muslims. It protects extremists.

Western governments now dissemble out of fear — fear of offence, fear of accusations, fear of electoral consequences. So they hide behind euphemisms, talk about “community cohesion,” and pivot to policies that avoid the cause altogether. Gun reform after a terrorist attack is not courage; it is deflection.

This failure has consequences. If an ideology cannot be named, it cannot be monitored. If it cannot be monitored, it cannot be disrupted. And when it is not disrupted, innocent people die.

No serious adult believes all Muslims are terrorists. That argument was settled years ago. But pretending that repeating “not all Muslims” is a counter-terrorism strategy is dishonest — and dangerous.

A society that cannot speak honestly about the ideology threatening it is a society in decline. Leadership requires the courage to tell the truth, not hide behind platitudes. Until Western governments are willing to name radical Islamism, challenge it openly, and act decisively against those who promote it, the cycle will continue — apologies after attacks, silence before the next. You cannot defeat what you refuse to name.