I think the problem is that with the levelling of secular mass culture, PC ideology, liberalism, the hastening decline of Christianity, and near universal bad taste , many Americans have forgotten that there is a distinction between civilized Christians and pirates and barbarians. To get technical about it, Bill Clinton, Bill Maher, Geraldo, and the others are already in the barbaric dimension of that comparison.
All you have to do is look at the pictures of the hijackers. If you don't feel an immediate visceral aversion, well...
The Arabs remind me of a bunch of spoiled children kicking and screaming in rage at Big Daddy - US --- because we get to whip their ass when they misbehave. And our size and power infuriates them to the point of frenzy and makes them hate us even more. I don't think any one doubts religion is a factor but I think the real answer is these people have a state of arrested development and when they look at how far we have come and compare their lot with ours they can't figure out what the secret of our success is. Its obvious for every one to see but for the Arabs rather than try to work hard to get to where we are they have this attitude of entitlement like they expect everything to be handed to them on a platter with no questions asked. When they don't get what they demand they lash out in a fit of deadly rage. Simple. The people over there need to grow up and become responsible adults.