[1] The book recommends full engagement and diplomacy with all forms of Islam and criticizes the policy of preemptive military action, arguing that it should be only used as a last resort.

Cole argues that a distinction should be made between al-Qaeda and non-violent, compromising political Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood the same way far-right militias in the U.S. are distinguished from the center-right Republican Party.

[1] The American Prospect stated that "Cole has delivered an important book that members of the administration would be wise to read en route to the Middle East.

Vali Nasr, bestselling author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future, commented that "Cole looks deep into what went wrong to show the way forward to a new engagement of the Muslim World" and he described the book as "[i]ntelligent, clear and erudite.

[1]Publishers Weekly gave a more critical review, stating that "For all his expertise, Cole fails to source some of his harshest accusations; moreover, for a scholar championing greater subtlety of thought, he too often discards nuance himself."