In the battle for moderate Muslims, there is no doubt that many have been alienated from the US by its invasion of Iraq and support for Israel.
"The virulent ideology of violent jihad looks to be spreading.

"In this sense, many experts now talk about facing a global Islamist insurgency rather than a single organisation like al-Qaeda.

"However, there has not been quite the depth or breadth of embrace of radicalism that Osama Bin Laden might have wanted, and no signs yet of the tidal wave of militant Islam sweeping the Muslim world and overthrowing governments as Bin Laden had clearly hoped.

"Anti-Americanism may have grown but it has not necessarily translated easily into pro-Bin Ladenism.

"And so, three years on from the 11 September attacks, neither side can convincingly claim victory.

"Al-Qaeda has yet to manage another major attack on the US mainland - the run-up to this November's election may show whether it is still capable of that or not given the degree of expectation among its supporters."