Whereas these groups have a territorial base and are preoccupied with national aims, Islamic terrorism appears to be the work of a very small number of individuals who seek to avenge the centuries-long “humiliation” of the Muslim world, brought about by colonization, absence of economic development, and political weakness. The goal of Islamic terrorists is nothing less than the destruction of the “hegemonic” Western world, despite most Muslim nations’ desire to live in peace within the international community and to cooperate in crafting effective development strategies.