[Rokke]

"Did you notice how all of the sentences of your statements above are prefaced by these two words, THE GOVERNMENT?
(Emphasis mine)"

Ummm. Do you realize that in your post that I responded to you were discussing THE GOVERNMENT? That's why I quoted your description of "the government" in every sentence.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

I was actually discussing the culture, more broadly.

When they held local elections in Saudi Arabia, guess who won?

Islamists.

Ditto for Bahrain, and Kuwait.

The UAE is even worse than the former states, at least according to one poll, which indicates that over 70% of the Muslim native population has a hostile view of the United States.

At least there were ceremonies honoring the victims of September 11th in Kuwait.

I'm not aware of any similar ones taking place in Dubai, or Abu Dhabi, or anywhere else in the Trucial states.

They might have occurred, but the fact that I didn't see or hear of them-and most Americans weren't aware of them, if they did take place-is telling.