December 17, 2007:
Islamic
terrorists are using roadside bombs in the south, but rarely. In the last week,
one was used against a bus load of soldiers, wounding fifteen. Most of the
terrorist activity is directed against other Moslems, particularly those who
are trying to leave terrorist effort. Many students have become disillusioned
with the Islamic terrorist effort. Several years of violence have not produced
anything positive. What you do have is angry (increasingly at the terrorists)
Moslem civilians, more soldiers and police, and fewer teachers (who tend to be
Buddhists). Moreover, the non-Moslem majority of the country shows no interest
in granting autonomy to the Moslem south. Worse, when Islamic radical movements
in other nations are noted, all you see is failure. But the Islamic radical
movement in the south has a core of diehards, and that's what they'll do.