[john drake]

I stand corrected, sort of ..... almost 1% of the Muslim world...and a helluva long way to go. Assuming the terrorist elements don't get their hooks into them, they might have a chance. However, statistically speaking, 1% is of no statistical consequence. Maybe time will tell, maybe. But I'm not betting on it. If enough Western influence can sway them, maybe. Remember, out of all the groups missionaries ever tried to convert, they were the least successful with Muslims...were and still are.

[NJ_gent]

"If enough Western influence can sway them"

I don't think it has anything to do with that. I think when you give people economic freedom and education, they'll handle the rest of it on their own. Someone who's educated and financially self-sufficient generally isn't easily manipulated into doing crazy things like strapping a bomb to their chest. Take out the extremists manipulating these people and work to educate the masses (not Saudi Arabia's brand of "education") and I think you'll find that the few remaining nutjobs won't have followers prepared to do their dirty work for them. At that point, they'll be a minor group of malcontents incapable of carrying out real terrorist operations.

Jordan is another example, by the way, if you discount the masses of Palestinian refugees living there. Jordan's citizens are generally happy and generally pro-western. Why? Money and education. The Saudis remain the major stumbling block to solving the problem of terrorism in the Middle East. They ought to be subject to the same treatment as the Taliban because they behave the same way; only they have a greater effect because we keep handing them tons of cash.