Who's Baffled?
Via Freerepublic.com, here's an article from the Asia Times about American's being confused by Islam:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1124599/posts

I would suggest that perhaps in the interests of laying aside PC, multi-culti bullshit that the article be re-titled as "Why America Baffles Islam".
The answer, of course, is relatively simple: Islam, like Communism, cannot tolerate the following: free expression of thought, respect for the individual, challenges to authority. Western Civilization, and especially American civilization not only tolerates but encourages such things. This is why we live in a world of high-speed computers, medical miracles, abundant food and mass-media, and Muslims live in the 7th century longing for a return of the "glory days".

This is also why any attempt to implant democratic traditions in the Middle East will be a long-haul operation; there is no history of any of these simple societal structures to be found in the region. Muslims have a choice between their religion/social system and the 21st century--- the problem is getting them to disconnect one from the other. They want both and are unable or unwilling to reconcile them, at the present.

You tell me who's baffled?