Not that they're terribly unsupportive -- issuing periodic fatwas on how blessed it is to kill westerners and nuke America for Allah -- but apparently, radical muslim clerics are not enthusiastic enough about the Jihad to please that paragon of Islamic theology, Mr. al-Zarqawi.

Perhaps he is perturbed that leaders from the part of Islam that still has some sense, are meeting in Abu Dhabi looking for ways to restore sanity to the psychotic faction of their religion. No particular criticism of Islam intended; we all have our own psychotic religious factions, do we not?

There is a strong current in Islamic history that has stressed the Quran's copious teachings on peace and brotherhood and downplayed its more belligerant aspects. They're not the first religion that's had to do that, either.

It would have been nice if they'd spoken up a little sooner. Still, the hope that a rational Islam may yet reassert itself provides one thin ray of hope in this otherwise churning cauldron of religion in hatred's service.