I didn't make the connection to Mecca until after 9/11.
To Muslims, having us near that holy site may have been as unbearable as having a foriegn military base in Vatican City would be to Catholics.
I think there may be much more Arab support for us re Iraq than is being reported.
Good analogy. Just yesterday, I got in my e-mail an article about how more and more moderate Muslims are speaking out against the jihadists; I guess a couple of books have been written recently by moderate Muslims as well. I'm so glad and it will go far in regaining trust, if the article was accurate.