What Said said.

I actually appreciate this piece. "The blind arrogance of the imperial gaze" poses extreme problems in the countries in the Middle East that are misunderstood and subjugated, and here at home. Anti-Arab propaganda is rampant, sometimes in very subtle ways. Stereotypes are dominant when people consider the Arab world and the countries within, and this, of course, clouds judgment as a whole. These stereotypes as violent, freedom-hating fanatics are not only prevalent in the minds of the masses, but within the government, as Said points out. We tend to superimpose a model of democracy over their countries and ignore their traditions and their true needs as distinct cultures with their own interests in mind. Sadly there are ulterior motives, such as oil, that can drive us to attempt to install governments loyal first to the US and not to the Arab states, and that can also drive us as far as war. Of course benefits can come of a more "democratic government" rather than a military dictatorship, but subjugation and assimilation can never be the answer especially in areas where we are disliked and unwanted. Propaganda will tell you that it is because they hate us for our power and freedom, but this subjugation and oppression goes back thousands of years. For example, consider the Crusades. It is no wonder that we are regarded suspiciously and at times with a more malicious eye. Extreme political turmoil breeds fanaticism and if you look at the problems in their entirety and consider works from authors such as Said, it can really put this in perspective, a new perspective even, from what most Americans are used to.