You focus on Islam as the bad influence over there, as I have often done, but it now seems to me that Islam is NOT the sole or even necessarily the primary determinent of Middle Eastern culture. It seems to me that Islam is to Iraq as Catholicism is to the Mafia, i.e., a thin veneer over a society that operates according to ancient, unredeemed tribal rules of honor, revenge, ehnic chauvinism, bribery, extortion, theft, murder, rape, and general thuggery. I'd like to tell one Iraqi - especially a militant - face to face: "You're no more a Muslim than I am; you're a self-worshipping, blasphemous, idolatrous sack of sh*t. You're nothing more than a common criminal."
you make some very good points Steve. I agree, the other factors you mentioned are very influential.