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I don't see much evidence that Western decadence is a factor in their hatred of Western Civilization. After all, different factions of Islam that claim to be reading the same scripture and following the same morality are trying to wipe out one another. Even if we all converted to Islam, it still wouldn't count unless we converted to exactly the same faction as whatever terrorist group is the threat.

Add to this the stories of the "perfumed princes" and the general lack of value placed on human life in their culture. They're in no position to be criticizing anyone else's morality. Are we supposed to embrace concepts like "honor killings" in order to appear "civilized" in their eyes?

I completely disagree with the premise of this article. The Islamists hate us exactly because we have an ideology. That ideology is based on the belief (which is specifically religious based) that we are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, among these the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Islamists hate Americans because they know our ideology presents a mortal threat to them and their beliefs. That is why you hear Islamists talking about the United States being the Great Satan and not France or Germany or being the Great Satan.

I don't see much evidence that Western decadence is a factor in their hatred of Western Civilization.

Love to agree with you on this, but having lived in Saudi Arabia I must respectfully disagree. While the article doesn't speak to the Islamists major beef, the State of Israel, that doesn't mean that the have a real soft spot in their hate-filled hearts for Western materialism, Western democracy or good old fashioned Western Pop culture and porn. It's hard for most of us to accept that guys who will take every opportunity to drug it up, booze it up and sex it up whenever they're in the West would have a real problem with our secular Western societies, but it happens to be true. In their world-view, we (the Western Infidel) are at fault for putting irresistible temptation in the otherwise pure and faithful Muslim's path. And despite what you (or Mr. Bush) may think, that (along with US support for Israel) is why the Islamists hate us.