The Federal Bureau of Investigation tells us there are hundreds and possibly thousands of Muslim-Americans drawn by the siren call of the Islamic State. While many simply flirt with this brand of Islamic extremism, others are ready to die for its twisted cause.

The FBI does a remarkable job of stopping American would-be jihadists from traveling to the Middle East and joining the Islamic State or committing terrorist attacks right here at home. But all the surveillance and arrests will not stem the rising tide of extremist sentiment.