Without causing too much offence, might I rephrase your question as 'Amongst those who hate the US / West, why are Arabs and Muslims either the most prominent or reported the most often?'

I am sorry Peter, I am no authority on this and I'll just give my opinion which could well be rubbish.

I would guess that it is history: the Western governments have intervened repeatedly backing dictators or extremists as well as moderates because of the tactical and strategic needs at that time, allying with and then withdrawing support for various groups (such as the Taliban). This would annoy the hell out of me if someone did it to my country or started to support me and then changed sides halfway through when I'd committed myself. It doesn't excuse terrorism, though. Ironically, I think the British in our colonial days managed to do much of the initial damage - Perfidious Albion - but the US seems to get much of the stick as it's a bigger and louder target. There is a saying that the reason the sun never set on the British Empire was that nobody would trust an Englishman in the dark - we would, I am sure, still be intervening had we the power to do so, the US is just more obvious.

You are big, visible and an easy target (well, your country is, not you personally) because you are a democracy and your media reports on everything in great detail, for all the world to watch. If you are hurt, you bleed very visibly and all can gloat who would. I have also listened to commentators who think that terrorist acts like this are meant as a 'wake up' call to people within a country, rather than the government of that country, to make them ask questions. I don't really subscribe to this view: terrorist acts take place all around the world in all sorts of countries. The UK gets bashed regularly and we are all well enough aware already.

I made my posting as I wanted others to realise that not all the world hates the US enough to commit crimes like this, even those supposed to automatically support these action because of their religious beliefs, that it is impossible for a 'Country' or a 'Religion' to hate, because they are merely words used to group the individuals that comprise them and it should be impossible, therefore to hate a religion or a country in return. Not much chance of changing opinions and I didn't think it would, but at least I got it off my chest (and out of my spleen).

Lastly, remember that you are only shown what is newsworthy: if ten people stand and shout "Death to America" in a country of millions, the other millions don't make the news.



>Robert, I would be interested in your comments on the thread that I started called "Why are we so hated by some Arabs and Muslims."
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>BTW, it does seem from the news reports that these recent attacks included a number of Arabs, in particular Saudis and Egyptians.
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>Peter Robinson