Smokin' Poll

A few new polls have come come out recently that could, but probably won't, reshape the current discourse on the Middle East:

1) Gallup has released the results of an incredibly large scale poll which argues that only seven percent of Muslims supported the 9/11 attacks. Furthermore, those that did support the attacks tended to give political rather than religious justifications. Now that might still be just over one hundred thousand people, but not quite the barbarian hordes at the gatse scenario some tend to promote. The full report will come out in a forthcoming study. Here are some more fun facts from the study:

* Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustifiable.
* Large majorities of Muslims would guarantee free speech if it were up to them to write a new constitution AND they say religious leaders should have no direct role in drafting that constitution.
* Muslims around the world say that what they LEAST admire about the West is its perceived moral decay and breakdown of traditional values -- the same answers that Americans themselves give when asked this question.

2) Another poll sheds light on the disconnect between how we talk about Palestine-Israel in the USA and in Israel. Sixty-four percent of Israelis say the government must hold direct talks with the Hamas government in Gaza toward a cease-fire and the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit. This even includes forty eight percent of Likud party members. If the majority of Israel is okay with it, why is it anathema for the USA?

Of course this is all because everyone realizes the coup that is about to happen in the next presidential election....the inevitable election of a secret Muslim. Yep, it doesn't matter if it is Clinton, Obama or McCain, they are all seeeeecret Muslims.