Not that I'm surprised. Reuters reported yesterday that The Pew Poll "finds some U.S. Muslims support for suicide attacks." The survey was conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. So what does "some" really mean? And why was this particular query limited to suicide bombings? Are there no other forms of terrorism about which we have a legitimate public interest in knowing Muslim attitudes? And the attitudes of others, for that matter? Before I go on let me tell you that the report, called "Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream," is 102 pages and is based on 55,000 interviews ending up with 1,050 participants. It's completely available on-line now. The conclusions drawn are not quite supported by the evidence. Unless you believe, for example, that it is reassuring that only 28% of all American Muslims do not believe that Arabs were involved in the 9/11 slaughter. Between the ages of 18 and 29, by the way, 38% of Muslims, a full 10% higher, do not believe that Arabs were involved. In what world does this slice of the population live? Now, here's a good number. Three quarters of the American Muslim population believe that "suicide in defense of Islam is never justified." That's a solid majority and, as the report's title suggests, very mainstream. But what about killing? Still, if only 76% abhor suicide, that means nearly a quarter would condone it? Is this not serious? In fact, among American Muslims themselves, 61% are concerned about the (possible) rise of Islamic extremism in the United States and 35% of these are "very concerned." They know their community. If they are concerned, than why should other Americans not be? There are anomalies in the report that surprise me. For, example, that only 36% of native-born Afro-American Muslims hold a very unfavorable view of Al Qaeda. This contrasts with the 69% of other native-born Muslims who held very unfavorable views of the terrorist organization. But how about the other 31%? These statistics are not at all reassuring, and the report overstates the glad tidings. The New Republic has participated in spreading some of this Polyannaish good cheer. About two and a half years ago, it published a long and oh, so reassuring tout-va-bien piece called "Religious Protection." Given the arrests made so far and the revelations in the Pew survey, it all seems so silly now. I suppose there is some consolation to be found in the fact that our allies have deeper problems on this issue than we do. Scant consolation.