The average Muslim is the only one who counts. The average Muslim communities are the places the Islamist terror cells go to to recruit. They don't go to the presidential palaces. If democracy does spread through the Muslim world, the average Muslim will still be the only one who counts, but for different (better) reasons.

Obviously billions in aid to Arab nations over many years makes no impression.

Who saw it? Where did it go? What kind of aid was it: military, commercial or humanitarian? Did it have little American flags on it? How are they supposed to know it was from us?

Going to war to save Muslims in Europe makes no impression.

Again, are you sure they know? And, though the fate of Muslims in the Balkans may make some difference to the Muslims in Indonesia, there are no holy places there, as there is in, say, Jerusalem.

Freeing fifty million Muslims from tyranny doesn't seem to do it.

If the job is ever finished, look for credit then. Right now, it's a tradeoff for street violence, assassinations, continued corruption, and ongoing gaps in basic services.

Hundreds of millions in disaster aid for Malaysia? Apparently no effect.

Indonesia too. Again, have we put little stamps on everything so they will know?

Think about it this way:

We have done a poor job of projecting a positive image of ourselves to Muslims and to Arabs, because:

-We have supported oppressive governments in the Muslim world because it was of strategic value for us to do so. This has caused grave material, cultural, and in some cases spiritual harm to the people ruled by those governments. Any aid given to such governments would not have gotten wide dispersal to the people anyway.

-When we have given aid, it is often of a charitable nature and not the kind of equal to equal business aid we give to those we trust. It's the look-at-the-downtrodden type of aid. It doesn't do anything for their self-respect, but it allows us to like ourselves very much. That doesn't mean we should stop giving aid in emergencies, but it does mean we need to look at our aid distribution as an extension of a show of respect to Muslim nations. The average Muslim, especially the city dwellers, are acutely aware that they are not considered preferred partners in business ventures not involving the petroleum industry.

-We send conflicting messages that can be very damaging. If we are going to allow torture, I would like to attach an electrode to every American who calls Arabs "ragheads" or "camel jockeys". They hinder the war effort in a systemic way by undermining respect for the Arab people. This disrespect shows up in attitudes of contractors, in violence against Muslim immigrants and visitors (who tell their friends and relatives), and in insults that wend their way around the globe via TV, radio and internet. It must stop. As compensation, they can call terrorists "murderers" and "criminals" and "enemies of humanity" all they want.

-We don't know how to speak to Muslim peoples in their own languages. And worse, we can't listen to them in their own languages either. So we don't really know what they're saying, even when we have a translator, if the translator comes from their side. Do you remember the end of the movie "The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!"? The Russian character played by Alan Arkin begins translating the words of the American police chief, who speaks no Russian, to his captain, who speaks no English. About half-way through this process, he realizes that he can manipulate the situation by not translating what is being said, and he does. We are at a grave disadvantage here, because the ignorance we have is not balanced by and equal and opposite ignorance on the other side. So we don't know if our message is even getting through at all, let alone correctly.

We take it for granted that people in other parts of the world ought to understand that we are wonderful because we mean well. We fail at making sure our foreign policy reflects the ideals we cherish in the little things among the ordinary people, where it counts. We fail at being able to speak about our hopes and objectives for ourselves. We fail at showing respect to others in the context of their own understanding and customs, because we are culturally ignorant. (In this area, businesses that conduct successful projects in these nations have a lot to teach our political leaders, and Joe and Jane Sixpack, too.)

We have a lot of work to do.