The big difference however is the near total lack of free, democractic governments which allow for average citizens to express temselves freely and inform themselves from many diverse opinions, rather than living in ignorance of worldly matters.

My best example:

When I was in Africa I knew a very good and decent Muslim college professor, a brillant man in the fields on mathematics and physics. He also happened to believe that Jews were secretly running the US economy and dominating the world. He wasn't evil for believing this, just ignorant. Why? Because the strict dictatorship ruling the country, and also the separate one ruling his religion, never allowed him to hear and learn otherwise. And he had never met and spoken with a real, live Jew, either, before meeting a few of them from the Peace Corps. This kind of profound worldly ignorance (whether related to Jews or not) is pervasive in the Arab, and throughout the Muslim, world.

Unfortunately, we in America and in the West can't force their eyes open - they must do it for themselves. Should we assume the task of 'reforming' them, we'll be unjustly blamed for all that goes wrong which isn't our fault, and undeservedly credited with all that goes right that we didn't really create. Either way, they'll feel patronized and not in control of their own destiny.