[The Great Satan]

Rather than rail on about Islam's alleged "evil," it behooves everyone - Muslim and non-Muslim alike - to help modernize this civilization.

Well, the only parallel for such a thing I can think of would be the United States' forced liberalization of Japan after Pearl Harbor et seq. When does the bombing begin?

[JohnHuang2]

Amen.

[LS]

This is tough---to "modernize" Islamic countries---because the nature of their backwardness IS their religion.

Moreover, it is like trying to side with (just as an example) the Jerry Falwells against the Bishop Spongs of the world in hoping that through a RELIGIOUS dominance you change politics. That is extremely hard. I can't think of a historical example where an outside force propagandized an inner-religious debate to cause one side or the other to win. People will believe what they will believe.