There were other very positive things in the poll: -Large and growing majorities in some predominantly Muslim countries—notably Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan and Indonesia—continue to say that democracy can work well in their own countries. Yet, except in Indonesia and Jordan where views are divided, Muslims in these countries are far more likely to think of themselves first as a Muslim rather than as a citizen of their particular country. -Further ambivalence with respect to the role of Islam in political life is seen in the tendency of Muslims who see Islam’s role increasing also to be more likely to say that Islamic extremism poses a threat to their home countries. -Views are mixed on the causes of such extremism with U.S. policies and influence most frequently cited in Lebanon and Jordan, poverty and lack of jobs in Morocco and Pakistan, immorality in Indonesia and lack of education in Turkey. -Despite concerns about Islamic identity and extremism, majorities of the publics of most countries in Europe and North America hold favorable views of Muslims; only in the Netherlands and Germany do opinions tilt to the negative. - While majorities in five of the six Muslim countries surveyed still hold unfavorable views of the U.S., a majority of Moroccans now report having a favorable opinion. In Morocco, as well as in Lebanon, Pakistan and Turkey, young people are more likely to give favorable marks to the U.S. than are older people. In most Muslim countries, women are also somewhat more likely than men to look positively on the U.S. although they are also less likely to offer an opinion. Doesn't sound to me like it's just about politics.
Thanks for pointing that out, I think it tends to get lost among all the negative stuff. BTW, Indonesia is already a democracy, and that alone should be a positive for the future of democracy in the Muslim world at large, since the most populace Muslim country is a functioning democracy, who in fact elected a woman president, which is yet to happen in the United States itself.
You have gotta be kidding me! Jews weren't able to live among Muslims in Muslim countries? I won't even waste my time on this, because if you knew anything about history, then go back and study...oh say... the last 1000 years of Islamic history, and see how peacefully Jews lived among Muslims (as well as Christians), while Jews were terrified of the Europeans because of the rampant anti-Semitism that always existed there. They prospored more than you could ever imagine. Dude, one simple request: earn your history before you make ignorant claims. How do you think the Zionist state took roots in Palestine to begin with? Because the Arabs there were feeling sorry for their Jewish "cousins" and all the racism they faced in Europe, so they allowed them to go and live there with them and they peacefully co-existed until the Zionists moved to secure lands for the establishment of the state of ISrael. Again, all this ill-will developed in the past half century plus, it doesn't go back as far as you think. And there were millions of Jews living in the Arab world up until Israel was established (so-called Arab Jews that compromise a large chunk of modern day Israel), then most of them decided to immigrate to Israel and start a new life there with other Jews. In fact, there are still decent sized Jewish communities in countries like Morocco and Tunisia. So as I said before, you apparently know very little about the history of the region (you are not alone), so I would reserve making comments that have no foundation in truth if I were you.
When I said "politics" I didn't mean just politics, I meant non-religious factors, such as social issues, political issues, economic issues, etc. In most cases, it's a combination of all three, and not just one or the other.
When Arabs see this story on their TV screens, it doesn't surprise me when Israel has such a negative reputation in the region. These are not "radical" non-state groups, mind you, but rather the state itself carrying out such actions. http://www.sabcnews.com/world/the_middle_east/0,2172,83467,00.html Israeli bulldozer crushes paralysed man in Gaza home Reuters July 12, 2004, 13:45 An Israeli bulldozer crushed a paralysed Palestinian man to death when it knocked down his Gaza Strip home today, witnesses said, during a raid to demolish homes the army described as militant gunposts. Ibrahim Mahmoud Khalafallah (70) was inside his home and his family was not given enough time to take him out before it was wrecked, Palestinian medics and witnesses said. The army said it had destroyed flimsy shacks and unfinished structures near the town of Khan Younis that it said were used to launch rocket and shooting attacks against soldiers and nearby Jewish settlements. Witnesses reported heavy gunfire during the raid by Israeli tanks and bulldozers. "The bulldozer buried our neighbour and he died ... Everything happened in 10 minutes," said Ahmed Hammoud, a 28-year-old father of four whose house was also demolished. "I was in the house with my family when the bulldozer came in. We fled ... We couldn't save anything, not a bed or the refrigerator. Nothing. We didn't know they were coming." Khalafallah's cousin Suheila said his family told the bulldozer driver the man was inside but could not stop it. Palestinian security sources said 26 houses were destroyed. Israeli military sources said troops made every effort to make sure the buildings were empty and warned people to leave, but did not search all buildings for fear they could be booby-trapped. Reuters television footage showed residents combing through the ruins of cinderblock homes. They removed clothing, dusty blankets and toys. They also pulled out dead animals including ducks, rabbits and a dog. Violence in the Gaza Strip has surged since Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon set out a plan early this year to withdraw troops and settlers from the impoverished territory captured in the 1967 Middle East war. More than 22 000 people have been made homeless by Israeli army operations in the Gaza Strip since a Palestinian uprising broke out in 2000, according to United Nations figures. - Reuters
