Papers in Muslim countries publish some of those cartoons

Muslim newspapers in Jordan and Saudi Arabia have published some of those cartoons of Mohammed.

The Saudi paper suddenly ceased publication; the Jordanian one merely faced severe criticism from King Abdullah and his government.

Interestingly, the pictures were published in the Saudi paper along side an article critical of the cartoons. The motivation of the Jordanian paper was expressed by its publisher to the New York Tiimes thus:" I am telling my people, 'Be rational, think before you go into the streets. Who harms Islam more? This European guy who paints Muhammad or the real Muslim guy who cuts a hostage's head off and says, 'Allah-u akbar?' Who insults our religion, this guy or the European guy?"

It should be said that King Abdullah- a strong moderate and staunch U.S. ally- was put in a difficult position by the publication of the cartoons in his country given the recent victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections. But despite the inclination of many Westerners to lump all Muslims together because of the tendencies in Islam toward totalitarianism and repression, it is clear that many in the Muslim world would like nothing better than to engage the West in dialog rather than confrontation.

It is to be regretted that the publication of those cartoons made their task so much more difficult. With help, it should be noted, from the Jihadist lunatics.