<p>DoctorX, this debate can go on for centuries and we will not find a concrete answer. I have read the works of Bernard Lewis and Peter Stearns and find them lacking on many fronts. They are factual in many ways, but they lack and understanding of the culture of the region and they are certainly biased in their views. I agree that from the year 700 (when the Islamic Empire began its conquest) until the year 1250 (when the crusades ended), Europe and Asia were locked in a constant struggle. But by 1700, that struggle was all but finished. In 1900, there was almost no Islamic extremism left in the world.</p>
<p>And my logic follows just fine. Saddam and the Taleban have butchered hundreds of thousands of civilians and oppressed the masses in their countries for decades because they received significant support from the US. You cannot all of a sudden remove those oppressive regimes because they no longer suit your purpose and expect the people who have suffered for decades under their rule to forgive and forget. The damage has been done. And more damage has been done with the Iraq war.</p>