JD--
When actors representing forces/states in conflict appeal to (a.) noncombatants in theater or (b.) civilians of the opponent , the appeal is likely to be largely in this vein. Thus 'propaganda/public-relations' will be weighted with such content.
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--Syrian King Assad was interviewed recently {August...September'07 ?} . Concerning the American initiative (liberation\\invasion/occupation) in Iraq , he made a comment to the effect that " 'Democracy' is done to better one's condition , not for chaos ".
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--Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a remarkable public letter to U.S. civilians one year ago <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15952309/> , addressed "Noble Americans" , observing that :
"Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking, and both seek dignity, respect and perfection.
"Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human ideals such as compassion, empathy, respect for the rights of human beings, securing justice and equity, and defending the innocent and the weak against oppressors and bullies."
[Note that the Iranian head of state emphasizes the commonality between our and their cultures/civilisations , anticipating Professor Bs concern over "some common frames of reference."]
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--Abu Musab al-Zarqawi revealed what might be considered 'bias' when he proferred that "Shiites are infidels" (ca 2005 , from recollection of news report).
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--Osama bin Laden's letters to Americans have a different thrust...[2002]
<http://islamcommentaries.com/binladen_letter.htm>
"iii) The blood pouring out of Palestine must be equally revenged.
(b) You attacked us in Somalia; you supported the Russian atrocities against us in Chechnya, the Indian oppression against us in Kashmir, and the Jewish aggression against us in Lebanon.
(c) Under your supervision, consent and orders, the governments of our countries which act as your agents, attack us on a daily basis;
(i) These governments prevent our people from establishing the Islamic Sharia, using violence and lies to do so.
Also, <http://www.ucgstp.org/bureau/wnp/wnp0044/binladen.html>.
--[2007]
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007...transcript.php …. on September 7, 2007 Counterterrorism Blog SITE Institute: Transcript of Bin Laden Video {excerpts}
"The genocide of peoples and their holocausts took place at your hands: only a few specimens of Red Indians were spared, and just a few days ago, the Japanese observed the 62nd anniversary of the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by your nuclear weapons."
"And among the things which catch the eye of the one who considers the repercussions of your unjust war against Iraq is the failure of your democratic system, despite it raising of the slogans of justice, liberty, equality and humanitarianism. It has not only failed to achieve these things, it has actually destroyed these and other concepts with its weapons - especially in Iraq and Afghanistan- in a brazen fashion, to replace them with fear, destruction...."
"Then you claim to be innocent! This innocence of yours is like my innocence of the blood of your sons on the 11th - ...."
"It has now become clear to you and the entire world the impotence of the democratic system and how it plays with the interests of the peoples and their blood by sacrificing soldiers and populations to achieve the interests of the major corporations."
"And with that, it has become clear to all that they are the real tyrannical terrorists. In fact, the life of all of mankind is in danger because of the global warming resulting to a large degree from the emissions of the factories of the major corporations"
[Finally , waxing supply-side, manifesting a Marxist slant...]
"There are no taxes in Islam, but rather there is a limited Zakaat [alms] totaling only 2.5%. So beware of the deception of those with the capital. "
* * *

In conventional war concerned primarily with subduing uniformed combatants (as Japanese occupation , followed by Allied liberation of Pacific islands in WWII), the war of ideas is minimized.
The recent transition of status of Coalition forces in Anbar, from Enemy#1 , to forces due cooperative approaches, involved a re-mapping of Sunni perceptions of Shia, AlQaeda-in-Iraq , and Coalition forces . No longer are Zarqawi & binLadens' views supreme.

The flowering of liberal democracy and free trade agreements through Latin America during the 1990s, and the present movement toward socialized autocracies and directed trade , represent the surge of victory and the sigh of defeat in the political-economic sphere, regarding aspects of trade policy and tariffs, local industries , mobility of capital , ownership of assets, partisanship and terms of office ... all of which have engendered armed conflicts at other times.
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Much criticism (some well-earned) has been directed toward the Bush Administration's war 'of choice' in Iraq. The formation of a functional government in Iraq will/is require(ing) Shia and Sunni , Arab , Kurd , and Persian , of various local , tribal , and clan affiliation, to weigh and assess the relative merits of Wahabism, Pan Arabism, Marxism, Baathism, Islamofascism, nationalism, Zionism, etc, from all these perspectives. Thus the entire region , and the Islamic world at large , has been forced into a searing dialog concerning 'extreme' versus 'moderate' Islam , etc. This forced dialog has accelerated the 'Muslim Reformation' and probably decreased the duration of the invective directed toward the West (if/while amplifying the latter).
T m