This thing keeps getting worse and worse...
It's amazing to see the hypocrisy of people complaing about drawings then torching buildings afterwards. Anyway.
However I do feel there is blame on both sides in this, although the Muslim side is certainly the one doing the excesses now.
I would like to say that this issue is not really about "Freedom of speech" though. Freedom of speech, yes even in Europe, is not absolute. Depending on where you live, there are things you can't say: threats of violence, lies and defamation, trade or governmental secrets, hate speech, or general cultural taboos. Even in the US, you can't really publish pictures of military coffins in the newspapers. Besides, just because you're free to post something doesn't mean you have the right to expect no counter-reaction.
Some (not all) of those cartoons are definitely offensive, and are meant to be so. This being Denmark, which has some issues with its muslim immigrants, this amounts to flame baiting which sadly has caught on (and the publication of the cartoons in places like France was even more of the same). The local response eventually grew up to be a more global one; and countries such as Saudi Arabia did no one a service by upping the ante and withdrawing ambassadors. Especially knowing how the media is not controlled by the gov't over there (so there's not much that the gov't can actually do), and that people would obviously rally over 'freedom of speech' rethoric in the West.
As a Middle Easterner, I can tell you that these protests are not solely about this cartoons. That's frankly just an excuse to express a lot of anger in those countries. While I don't believe there is a "Clash of civilizations" (that implies monolithic blocs on both sides), there is a certain degree of hatred and misunderstanding on both sides. And that's what driving this issue, it's just taking the shape of anti-Danish-cartoons demonstrations on one side.
Plainly put; though for instance the US has more influence (negative to some people) over what happens in the Middle East, it's easier - and carries less global repercussions - to burn the Danish Embassy than the American one (Also, this being Syria, it wouldn't have happened unless the govt let it happen).
For instance (that's one example, not the case for everybody btw), if you're some 18 year old refugee in a refugee camp in overcrowded Gaza, living in poverty, having no job, feeling humiliated by a "westernized" occupation, you have a lot of stuff you could be angry about. Offensive cartoons in some Danish newspaper are not the real issue. But with irresponsible religious leaders that play into these frustrations, things degenerate. I truly hope no blood will be shed over this issue, but I know everything's possible. And once again the hypocrisy of people who advocate violence after some offensive drawings is startling.
In the end, after this row dies down, it will have created more anger and hatred on both sides. Some Middle Easterners will be even more opposed to the West; and Western countries will see the others are more of an 'uncivilized' bunch of brutes. Which will be reflected in their views of muslim immigrants in their own countries, and those immigrants will likely be less integrated in response. Which won't help anybody.
Ah, righteous religious anger. It's no wonder I'm an atheist. One less thing to fight and kill about.
PS: I could never support a boycott that would ban Danish butter cookies. Mmmmmmmmm. Danish butter cookies forever
PSS: I'd be interested in hearing from our resident Dane Nancy over how this is playing out in Denmark.