Gallup posed questions on the minds of millions of people: How widespread is political radicalism? Who are they and how do they feel about the West?

Now we can get beyond the battle of experts and pseudo-experts and let the data/evidence lead the discourse.

How widespread is political radicalism, and thus the potential pool of extremism?

The key question asked to demarcate moderates from the politically radicalized was whether the 9/11 attacks were completely justified and whether they have an unfavorable or favorable view of the United States. Moderates, the vast majority (93%), said the 9/11 attacks were unjustified; on the other hand, the politically radicalized (7%), and thus potential supporters of extremism, said the attacks were completely justified and view the United States unfavorably. Identification as “politically radicalized” does not mean they commit acts of violence but that they are a potential source for recruitment or support for terrorist groups.

Defying the conventional wisdom about the drivers of Islamic extremism, both moderates and politically radicalized have similarly strong religious sentiments, as measured by frequency of religious service attendance and their affirmation that religion is an important part of their lives. What is the profile of the politically radicalized? They are on average more educated 67% vs. 52% and affluent (65% say they have average or above-average income versus 55%) than moderates. They are also, on average, more optimistic about their personal future than moderates, more optimistic about their own lives. However, the politically radicalized were far more intense in their belief that Western political, military and cultural domination is a major threat. When asked to define their greatest fears about the future of their country, the politically radicalized most frequently cite interference in their internal affairs by other countries, national security, colonization, occupation, and fear of U.S. dominance. In contrast, moderates rank economic problems as their top concern.

Why Do They Hate Us?

Although many in the West believe that anti-Americanism is tethered to a basic hatred of the West, respondents’ assessments of individual Western countries reveal a different picture. Unfavorable opinions of the United States or Great Britain do not preclude a favorable attitude toward other Western countries such as France or Germany. Across all predominantly Muslim countries polled, an average of 75% associate “ruthless” with the United States (in contrast to only 13% for France and 13% for Germany).

The politically radicalized are consistently more negative than are moderates in their opinions of all Western countries tested in the survey. However, there is a stark contrast in their view of individual Western nations. Even those who are politically radicalized consistently differentiate between countries and leaders and do not see a monolithic West. For example, while only a quarter of the politically radicalized have very unfavorable opinions of France (25%) and Germany (26%), this percentage jumps to 68% for Britain and 84% for the United States.

For the first time, we have a powerful new tool that provides access to the voices of a billion Muslims. This data challenges much of the conventional wisdom about Muslims. Letting the data lead the discourse enables policymakers, the media and all concerned citizens to transcend the “battle of the experts” and take new paths toward global understanding and better informed political initiatives.