A chance to learn more about Islam, the Arab world and ISIL

Wars are costly and they should only be considered as a last resort after trying all other available options, especially in the Middle East. Fighting the terrorists of the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq is even harder as they are digging tunnels and adjusting to a guerrilla warfare that suits them.

The only way to defeat them is to have their own population reject them with the help and cooperation of our regional allies. President Barack Obama said in his recent State of the Union address: 'The world respects us not just for our arsenal, it respects us for our diversity, and our openness, and the way we respect every faith...When politicians insult Muslims...that doesn't make us safer...It diminishes us in the eyes of the world. It makes it harder to achieve our goals. It betrays who we are as a country.”

Arabs and Muslims in this country are well integrated into American society and their income and education are about average. This is not true in France or elsewhere in Europe. The American experience and its capacity to be inclusive is our strength and we need to optimize it.

The more informed we are, the more inclusive we may be. The Iowa City and Cedar Rapids corridor is fortunate to have a local non-profit in our community that for 30 years has fostered understanding and exchange of ideas between Iowans and emerging leaders from around the world. On Jan. 27, CIVIC, the Council for International Visitors to Iowa Cities, is bringing the president and founder of the Washington D.C.-based Arab American Institute, Dr. James Zogby to Iowa City.

The public has the extraordinary opportunity to hear Dr. Zogby's address, 'How We Should be Discussing the Arab World and Islam in 2016,” to be part of the discussion, and hopefully part of the solution. We can start the year by being better informed about Islam, the Arab World, and the threat of ISIL.

As the caucus is nearly upon us, and the hour of decision draws near, the need to facilitate conversations that are informed instead of ones motivated by politics of fear is more urgent than ever. Please join us in this conversation. For more information, visit iowacivic.org

' Newman Abuissa, of Iowa City, is a CIVIC Board Member and past chairman. Comments: Newman@abuissa.net