This part of your last reply is so critical to living in the world that we live in: "When the percentage of homicidal jerks gets above some critical number, life becomes impossible. I like to think that for a reasonably functioning society, that number is below 1%. Certainly if it gets close to 10%, and if there is 70% support for that 10% (as some polls indicate), there is no coexistence or possible reasoned compromise solution."
Your stats apply to the middle east countries and to PA in particuliar!
They, also, apply here. When the ACLU makes child predators and other vermin a protected species, and the libs and media do a lock step, we end up with a very bad situation!
We did not lock our doors until about 10 years ago. Our 30 something sons were safe on the streets with a little street smarts. Then the ACLUers made the perverted the protected in our society.
Finally in California, we came up with the three strikes prop. to lock up the bad people. It has been very successful. Recently, the PCers have most of society convinced that every illegal alien is a great citizen. Yet in that group is a fairly high % of professional criminals and perverts. They need to be locked up to protect society with them.
Back to the middle east. 30 years ago we had friends who had worked in the Middle East. They told us that the mothers, fathers, teachers and mullahs were raising the young as soon as they could walk and talk to hate and want to kill Americans and Israelis!
Is it possible to reverse these decades of programmed hatred?
You ask: Is it possible to reverse these decades of programmed hatred?
I wish I knew. I think not, barring some drastically imposed cultural reorganization. We imposed something of the sort in Japan, but it wasn't easy. There are a lot more Muslims, and potential Islamists than there were Japanese. The cost would be high, and we wouldn't want to undertake it unless we were forced to (say serious nuclear and biological terror with proven government support). Then there's the problem of the law of unintended consequences. It might not work as planned.
I think the most likely amelioration is through long term reformation. I believe a similar evolution took place in the Judeo-Christian tradition, at least for many. The Old Testament is harsh and unforgiving in spots if interpreted literally rather than allegorically.
It requires a better life, which can only be earned through a cooperative society, not granted by a flood of material foreign aid. So I don't see it any time soon.