With the Middle east it is a religion that is at issue and one that has over a billion adherents under unstable governments or totalitarian theocracies and/or some combination.
It is a religion that is ripe for reform and one that does have some basis to do so, although that basis has been covered up by centuries of damage done by prophet Mohammad's insane ramblings interpreted in all sorts of ways, and the creation of Sharia as a direct result of no effective governments or constitutions.
The root of it stems from the intentional intertwining of religion and government. A problem also faced by Christianity and most other religions.
We did not have these issues with Japan. The closest comparison would be European history where the church was the government for a time. A long time!
We can be successful, but you have to view it long term. You have to project far into the future and there will never be immediate or even any sort of gratification for any current generation to see.
Not a easy thing to do, but it is the only legitimate way to look at this problem as I see it.
Islam cannot be reformed and remain islam. The koran clearly commands them to fight against us.
The root of it stems from the intentional intertwining of religion and government. A problem also faced by Christianity and most other religions.
Christianity does not intertwine with government at all. The Christian kingdom is not of this world but of the next. We are commanded as Christians to submit to those in authority over us as far as we can without violating biblical direction.
In Islam however secular and religious government are inextricably joined.