Originally Posted by
SayAlt
Yes, but not as much as their religious differences and lack of widespread education do. Arab/muslim rulers keep their people as ignorant as they can, and what education is available is usually based upon religion. This is why Iranian extremists teach, for example, that America is "the Great Satan" and that America is responsible for Iran's woes rather than it's gov't.
Originally Posted by
JohnBurke
Wow.
It's not often that we see such displays of ignorance here. Well done.
SayAlt is generally correct at least as far the persian gulf region is concerned. There has been a decades-long systematic campaign in many countries there to narrowly focus "education" on religion and whatever politics the totalitarian leaders want the people to hear.
In many places it's hard to get what we would consider a liberal education...you get the ultra-conservative Madrasa treatment or nothing at all (for women, it's nothing of course). This has created a generation of young men with limited economic options and some very strong opinions.
This all due to a bizarre confluence of fifth-century cultural values and oil money, aggravated by western imperial meddling in the region during the 20th century.