Powayseller, I think this type of discussion raises so much emotion because it gets to the heart of people’s core beliefs: religion, life philosophy, etc. As for your strategy of understanding why our enemies, particularly Muslims, hate us so much, I couldn’t disagree with you more. It’s not because we are on their holy land and it is not because we support Israel. We are different than they are and I think we are a threat to their existence. It is their doctrine to convert all non-believers to Islam or kill them. No, not all Muslims feel this way, but many do…certainly the hardliners and Imams who rule the rest of the masses. They are in a holy war with us (Jihad), yet many of us in the West don’t even realize it.

You are of Iranian descent, perhaps you could answer your own question as to why “they hate us so much”. Maybe you could also tell us why there is a sweeping undercurrent of Iranian youth that are actually against their current administration there and are trying to push for more Western-style reforms such as more more freedom, less rule by religious fanatics, and more rights for women. I think you’d be the perfect person to enlighten us on these points.