<p>Yeah, but why can’t they just stick with fighting each other?</p>
<p>Very simply because they are not responsible (or percieved to be responsible) in many ways for the ****ty conditions in which they find themselves. Next time an Islamacist movement topples a government and sets up an autocratic leadership in order to better facilitate oil extraction let me know.</p>
<p>And the autocrats, while sitting on the gold mine of oil wealth, continue to stifle any hope or opportunity in their populace, which furthers the cause of militant Islam, since it is simply easier to blame someone else. </p>
<p>Western imperialism has certainly mucked things up in the middle east, but the Arabs have plenty of problems that have nothing whatsoever to do with Bush or Blair. Even if every Western influence was removed (hypothetical, of course, since this will never happen, what with our permanent bases, etc.) the various Islamic sects would be fighting each other.</p>
<p>I know, I know. Such a surprising view coming from the old lady resident liberal, huh Fountain Siren?</p>
<p>
Actually, President Bush’s comments are not so obvious to many European countries. If you listen to British press accounts they are calling the arrested terrorists “Asians” to describe British Muslim extremists. Sometimes saying the truth directly is very helpful to clarifying issues and explaining where America stands.</p>