[Aurel]

Tabs,

I think your analysis is spot on, but what worries me is that you do not seem to see a solution to the problem at hand. You hit the nail on the head when you see that the true problem is the rise of radicalism within the muslim religion. However, you seem to discount the influence that the moderate muslims can have on their radicalized peers. And you also seem to see the large muslim population in Europe as a threat reather than a possible source of the solution.

This is where I will digress with your analysis and state that muslims do assimilate and become westernized. The demonstrations in France by muslims against the riots, and the attempts of the older ones to calm the younger ones were a good sign. Where the problem lies, as always, is in the formation of ghettos, and the lack of economical hope for these populations. But a large fraction of them are well assimilized citizen.

The muslim religion is pretty much at the same stage the christian religion was 500 years ago. Change does not happen overnight, but the tensions and conflicts occuring within the muslim world are a sign that this change is on the way. As in many cases, the change can start in the familly unit, and women are the major engine for this change. There is no mystery why they are so opressed in the ME. The ones in Europe do enjoy the liberty society offers for them, and acts of violence against women are not tolerated the way they are in the ME. Hence, they are more able to change the mentality of their husbands, who in turn can say F u to the immams.

Aurel