Spot the difference:

Cat Stevens: "I got so much to say, say what you mean, mean what you think and think anything, why not?"

Yusuf Islam: "Salman Rushdie should be killed"

Seriously though, I do agree with your general point, ROB. I used to work with a young Bengali guy called Zak who read the Qoran every day. He was scathing much of the time about Muslim Clerics who interpreted it in a way to give themselves power. Islam is in itself not and never was the problem. However:

Clerics of all religions have at various times usurped power through their position.

This is worse when the Church is an arm of the State.

This is worse still when the State is an arm of the Church.

In the third world, people can see the effects of Western (esp American) Imperialism on their lives. People impoverised, wealthy westerners turning their countries into virtual brothels. Unfortunately their protest takes on a religious rather than political form.

And let's not even get into the Israel/Palestine question.

America has alienated much of the Islamic world, and we have climbed into bed with them. This makes it easier for religious nutters to operate and recruit.

George Bush = Al Qaeda's best recruiting officer.

Oh, and when Saddam Hussein was seen as an ally of the West (pre Kuwait invasion) it was "A few more guns Saddam? Certainly! Kurds? Kill as many of 'em as you like, mate!". Once he had not done the West's bidding, we got the crocodile tears about genocide and what a tyrant he was!

Rant off. Else I'll go on all day!