[a history buff]

At least in East Germany they didn't skin each other alive and tear down all trace of civilization. The task to raise these people above their cave man status would be a huge undertaking and not workable as is obvious by their past. They seem to rise to a certain level, then because of some spiritual, dark, defeatist, "something" they slide back into war and self destruction. So far they don't seem big on understanding cause and effect, their comprehensive reasoning takes on more cunning than reasoned intelligence, with no issue of right or wrong, fair or unfair, just or unjust coming into play at all. That is just my observation but it indicates to me a pretty hopless situation.

Change out East Germany for Nazi Germany, or Imperial Germany, and the same ruminations have been around for a hundred years. Wilson & FDR both hated the Germans for the same reasons you cite. And, as history has shown, it was bigotry and little else.

A free press and a elections will not change everything overnight, but by giving them new incentives and new ways to resolve their grievances, I'm sure that within 20 years they'll take off, much as Taiwan and China did when they finally got leadership dedicated to making much of the country.

[MissAmericanPie]

It was bigotry and little else? My gosh man 14 million people exterminated arousing feelings of bigotry in Wilson and FDR?

For the time they were in and for the actions of Germans, they were dead on. Just as we are dead on in our feelings about Muslims right now. Sure they may change, but they HAVN'T yet. You just don't give someone respect or put them on your level just because they want you to, it has to be earned. And Islam has burned all it's credit up with alot of people, and rightly so, for the time we are in and the actions of Islamic believers.