Cthulu23, the issue *is* a battle between cultures. There's the western culture of individualism on the one hand, and the Islamic culture on the other.
We believe our values are universal, where they are obviously incompatible with the values of a large portion of the world population, including many a muslim. For example, many non-westerners see the "universal declaration of human rights" as a purely western piece of fiction, which they had nothing to do with, and which they don't necessarily agree with. Then there's our fascination with democracy and free trade, as well as our (cultural) relativism; all alien to them, and pretty much forced upon them (as they see it).
Of course, cultural differences don't need to lead to war, but they'll sure as hell won't help us get along either.
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