9/13/2012 10:09 AM
I don't know, but for as much as Sandy may be overstating the threat, Steve is just as bad at understating it. I believe that yes, the majority of muslims are decent, law abiding people that just want some security and normalcy so they can go about their lives. I believe that especially in Libya, where we just helped them gain freedom, there is probably much more pro American support than is being reported.
However, history shows us that a radical and energized minority population can cause big problems. I have seen in old WWII documentaries how most Germans regarded the early Nazi party as political hacks, not a serious threat and nothing to worry about. They sat by idly as the Nazis rose to power, by the time they realized how serious it was it was too late. Likewise most Afghans probably hold the Taliban in low regard, but that didn't prevent them from taking power once before, and it won't stop them from taking back power the minute we leave. They are afraid to stand up to them internally, or in the case of Egypt, they also believe the mob can be manipulated.
Certainly the gov't there allowed, maybe even encouraged the demonstration to take place and let it go up to a point intentionally. This is a dangerous mindset that can snowball out of control in a hurry. But this is what happens when revolutionaries come to power. They discover quickly that it is much harder to rule than to revolt (see Hamas in Palestine). The dictator is gone, the elected Muslim Brotherhood is in and all eyes are focused on them for results. The gov'ts there find it useful to redirect that focus on something else, like hating America.