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Sure, the Islamic extremists are egging them on. What did we expect them to do? After all, they have been calling for world wide jihad against the "evil" West since day one. I guess we're supposed to just wait for calm and reason to settle in, for "moderate" Muslims to react to their more extreme brethren and...what? What exactly are they supposed to do about it? Many moderate leaders have already condemned the violence and the jihad. They do not have half-trillion dollar militaries to engage in actual armed struggle with those with whom they disagree. Their only weapons are words.

But, who's listening? More importantly, why should they? It seems to us very difficult to distinguish between the "terror" that blows up buildings, subways and trains, killing many innocent bystanders...and that which rains down from "smart" bombs and missiles on the neighborhoods in Iraq killing even more innocent bystanders. Far more people have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by our "good" bombs, than the sum total of all "evil" bombs unleashed by the other terrorists.

We are supposed to make the distinction that our motives are pure and good, while theirs are suspect and evil. After all, we are promoting democracy and peace with our bombs. They wish to enslave us all in medieval theocracies. We suspect that this is rather more difficult for poor third world peoples to accept than it is for over-indulgent Westerners.

Suppose you were an ordinary Muslim citizen taking in what is happening. What does the future look like to you? Do you foresee Western democracy triumphing and bringing peace and prosperity to the rest of the world? Or do you see an ever expanding cycle of death and destruction leading...ultimately to YOUR death or imprisonment, and that of your family?

If, as appears to be occurring, more and Muslims are despairing of ever getting to lead peaceful and productive lives...who see ever increasing anti-Muslim prejudice mounting in the developed world...with all our missiles and tanks and atomic bombs...and in desperation joining the jihad...what exactly are we going to do about it?

Are we going to continue to exercise our enormous military power to destroy the countries of those who we claim are responsible for all this? More likely, as time goes on, there will be increasing pressure to lock up...perhaps in concentration camps...ALL Muslims...as a "preventative measure" due to "exigent circumstances" as was done to Japanese Americans during World War II. If Iraq was an "imminent threat" to the World that needed preemptive strikes," why not Syria? Or Iran? Maybe even Saudi Arabia and Egypt...our "allies?" Then there is Turkey, all the former Soviet Islamic Republics, Indonesia, Pakistan, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, etc., etc.

It looks to us...that if current events continue unabated...that another world war is as inevitable as night follows day. It will NOT be a religious war, either. After all, there is very little official backing from ANY religion for warfare. Despite all the posturing and bloviating on all sides, this struggle is about POWER! And oil. Which side will Russia and China be on? How about India? They need that precious black gold as much as we.

We don't know about you, but it scares the hell out of us. Could president Oprah help? Couldn't hurt.

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