The Next Front: Southeast Asia and the Road to Global Peace with Islam

In The Next Front, co-authors Senator Christopher Bond and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lewis M. Simons argue that the Obama administration can reverse the devastating effects of failed policies throughout the Islamic community in Southeast Asia by adopting a new "smart power" approach, one that combines the "soft" tools of diplomatic, economic and personal outreach with the fallback "hard" option of military force. By so doing, the United States can begin to reverse the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in a region with more Muslims than in the entire Middle East. Historically, Southeast Asian Muslims have been religiously moderate but recent American policies have fueled anti-Americanism and influence of extremist elements from West Asia.

Drawing on their decades of experience in the region and listening to Southeast Asian leaders, private citizens, religious spokesmen, educators and terrorists, the authors suggest new means of restoring U.S. respect and influence in Southeast Asia, eliminating the need for future military action.