Norsemaiden said:
It would surely be no surprise if the Israelis (or US government) think that right now is the ideal opportunity to bomb Iran as well as the Hamas parliament in Palestine.
The Western public opinion would simply be to regard this action as a heroic stance in favour of liberty. Any other time, there would be global condemnation, but the Muslims have really laid themselves open to attack with the way they are over reacting to those cartoons of Mohammed.
I think the problem in the Middle East is so complex, that most Westerners are ignorant or unintentionally fall for the propaganda.
First, a great deal of what is happening is a direct reaction to Western foreign policy on the region--especially American--since WWI. I doubt I need to inform anyone of the royal fuck up the British, French, American, and even Soviet governments did to the region (arabs will go back to the Ottomans even). I have no desire to give a detailed history of the problem, because it would be so long. But remember, our meddling in Iraqi affairs with the shah produced the hardline government we have had in Iran for the last 25 years, and it also made us enemy no 1.
Second, many of these protests are now in reaction to current American policies; as in the Iraqi war, support for Israel, etc. If one talks to a educated Arab, one would learn how mad they are we support the Saudi's, the emirs of Kuwait, the Turks, and the Husseins of Jordan--things we never even discuss here.
Third, its obvious the current Iranian president is way in over his head, and a puppet of the Ayatollahs.
Fourth, we are not going to do anything in Iran, as CHina and Russia are both supporting the country. If we were to start bombing, they would divert the oil to CHina and Russia. And Iran is the no.2 producer of oil.
Fifth, they will just take the nuclear program underground. And lets face it, if Pakistan has the bomb, Iran cannot be far behind. It would just be prolonging the inevitable.
Sixth, As Soundmaster alluded to, the reaction of Islam to the modern world is probably to be expected. The religious foundations of Islam are being overturned.