An author and Middle East expert says many Americans still do not understand the true nature of Islam.

Robert Spencer is an adjunct fellow at the Free Congress Foundation (freecongress.org), a conservative think tank based in Washington, DC. In 2002, following the 9-11 terrorist attacks against U.S. targets, Spencer published Islam Unveiled (Encounter Books), a book in which he attempted to debunk the notion that Islam is a peaceful religion that has merely been hijacked by extremists.

However, Spencer says too many people still believe the myth that Islam is a religion of peace. Therefore, he has published a new book called Onward Muslim Soldiers (Regnery Publishing, 2003). In it, the author emphasizes that jihad or "holy war" is a principle that all true Muslims are expected to follow.

"Jihad means making war against Jews and Christians primarily and non-Muslims in general until they either become Muslim or pay the non-Muslim tax, which is part of an elaborately detailed system that enforces second-class citizen status for non-Muslims in Muslim society," the author says.

Spencer points out that jihad calls upon true Muslims to convert nonbelievers or force them to submit to second-class treatment. Yet the author notes that many people are resistant to the truth about Islam.

"After the first book, I found all kinds of reviews saying 'This guy is just taking a couple of Koran verses out of context and trying to build something on them and smear a whole religion, and you can take the Bible and do the same thing.' And I thought well, obviously the point has still not been made," he says.

Spencer believes that until Americans understand the intent of the Muslim world, the U.S. will continue to be vulnerable to violent terrorist attacks. He hopes his new book will get Americans to understand what makes Islam dangerously distinct.

"Islam is different from other religions in the world in that it is an elaborately detailed theology and legal system that mandates that Muslims must make war against non-Muslims," Spencer says.

The Middle East scholar's new book examines several contemporary issues related to the Islamic threat, focusing on facts the author feels the media often disregard or deny. Onward Muslim Soldiers addresses such topics as the U.S. occupation of Iraq, American liberals' "unholy alliance" with radical Islam, and how the concept of jihad is undermining the Middle East peace process and Western Europe's commitment to freedom.

A 20-year student of Islam, Spencer is also a board member of the Christian-Islamic Forum. His articles on Islam and other subjects have appeared in Human Events, CNSNews.com, National Review Online, Chronicles, and Crisis.

© 2003 Agape Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.