[mtelliott]

To me, the only thing that separates Muslim extremist from Christian extremist is economic conditions. There’s a reason why Christian extremist numbers aren’t growing while Muslim extremist numbers are growing. It’s financial. In most countries where there is a Christian majority, everyone has a chance to succeed through hard work. This isn’t the case in most Muslim worlds. Muslim extremist are the only ones providing shelter, schooling (albeit warped), and community. As long as they don’t turn their anger on the ruling class and stay focused on their hatred of Jews and Christians, the monarchies allow them to exist. It’s a cheap form of control.

Bin Laden actually recognized this and struck out at Saudi Arabia on a number of occasions. Of course, no where near the degree that he did Americans but he recognized that much of his funding was coming from the Arab nations so he had to temper, to a degree, what he did against them.

Most extremist aren’t coming from the middle class or upper class. They are coming from the lower class with no chance of ever rising. The extremist leaders have been able to focus this frustration and successfully blame the West and Jews.