You could certainly be right. If we would stop the loud silliness about French wine and disrupting the graves of our dead heroes, we would hear the slight trickle down the drain of America also.
America is like a teenager - they never want to learn from any one else's experience. They always have to go through the hell themselves. Of course, I believe politicians know exactly what is in store for us - but are unwilling to do anything.
When I complain because we are letting in, actively bringing in, and not exporting illegal and undesirable ME people, my 20-something daughters says President Bush is afraid to do anything about the ones in this country. She says she believes he knows how many and how dangerous they are and he knows he can't take the steps necessary to clean this country out without their beginning violence against American people. Something to think about.
Now all the macho 'we can handle them' type can post - but maybe it would be better to offer another explanation for the PREsidents reluctance to do anything substantive about it. The old 'we don't want to upset the Muslims worldwide right now' won't cut it either - we just put our big foot down right in the midst of the ME - like that is not gonna tick them off somewhat.
No, I don't think he's afraid of violence by Muslims against Americans. He's afraid that any initial acts of violence by Muslims against non-Muslim Americans will generate reprisals that will compicate diplomacy overseas.
Imagine the response in the Arab world to hundreds of Muslims in America seen hanging from lampposts