Perhaps the greatest deterrent to extremism is prosperity. If people have a decent place to live, can put food on the table for their families, and see their children healthy and being educated, they are likely to tune out recruitment efforts by terrorists and other proponents of violence.

Of the 158 countries the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) cover in their inaugural global terrorism index, only 31 have had no attacks in the ten years to 2011. Yet although attacks are distributed widely around the world, the majority are concentrated in just a handful of countries.

Colombia's government and FARC guerrillas will start peace talks in Oslo on October 15 and hold a joint news conference on October 17, Norway's government and diplomatic sources said on Thursday, as the sides strive to end five decades of conflict.

The Obama administration has amassed a substantial record of accomplishments in the fight against Al Qaeda. But the tragic murder of Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and three other Americans underscores the need to keep up the pressure to combat terrorism at every level.

On the heels of Tuesday's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, protesters took to the streets of Tripoli to offer condolences for the death of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and express their disapproval of the protests against a film that demonstrators deemed blasphemous to the Prophet Muhammad.

Libyan officials on Wednesday condemned Tuesday’s attack on the U.S. Consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi that resulted in the death of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador.
Mohamed al-Megariaf, president of Libya’s General National Congress, apologized to the U.S. and Americans for the attack.