Could Religion Be Part of the Solution?

I heard an interview with evangelical minister and veteran Daniel Johnston this weekend discussing the "faith-based diplomacy" he is using to build peace in war-torn areas. Why can't more Americans take his approach? He looks at the things people of faith have in common instead of complacently supporting our foreign wars. The most bad-ass thing Johnston does is visit Madrassas (Muslim schools which are often training centers for terrorists). There he talks with the imams about peaceful solutions to international problems, incorporating elements of his faith and their faith.

Here is the statement from his website:

The most serious threat confronting the world today is the potential marriage of religious extremism with weapons of mass destruction. Billions of dollars have been spent to address the symptoms of this problem, with little targeted at underlying cause. The International Center for Religion & Diplomacy is about "cause" and has as its highest priority the task of preventing conflict rather than dealing with its consequences after the fact