Is global jihad for real? Not really. No doubt the plethora of Islamic fundamentalist groups do exist, but they often fight for local reasons. This year the Hamas created a furore by refusing to side with the Chechens while claiming that their conflict with Russia is Russia's internal affair. It was a gesture of gratitude from the Hamas towards Russia for being the first state to recognise their government. For the Hamas to please Russia was more of a priority than Chechen sentiments, Muslim brotherhood notwithstanding. Russia reciprocated by removing Hamas and Hezbollah from the list of seventeen terrorist organisations it published this year. In the recent Israel-Lebanon conflict, the censure against Israel by the Arab world was mild when compared to USA's Iraq invasion due the age long conflict of belief between the Shia and the Sunni sects. Like Israel, many Arab countries have been paranoid about the rising clout of the Shia and consider the Hezbollah as its flag bearer. Many were not too unhappy when Israel was teaching the Hezbollah a lesson or two. So far the good news. But the bad news is that violence is here to stay.