Comment # 2 in response to this article is excellent.
UNDERSTANDING THE MUSLIM MIND
Muhammad spoke the language of violence and understood that language.
He did not attack his victims because they had done something wrong.
He attacked them because he calculated that he could win and he only attacked those who were weaker.
He took them by surprise, when they were unarmed, attending to their daily business.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1244542/posts