Ping!
The fanaticism inherent within Islam goes back to Edward Gibbon when in the last volume of Decline and Fall he - in his own inimitable and sardonic style - described Mohammed and his jihads.
But I can also send you a remarkable contemporary essay by a remarkable writer who explains why moderation will inevitably be trumped by extremism in Islam. The essay was cited by David Brooks of the N.Y. Times as the best journal article of 2004.
The author lived in several Islamic cultures and he speaks from on-the-ground experience. He details why the dynamics of Islamic faith and culture make the triumph of the most militant and fanatical views inevitable.
I can respond by separate mail if you'd prefer.