[AMF]

My point is less highfalutin': every single bit of offical national strategy document, military policy document, or any other formal position by the US (and coalition powers involved in the GWOT) states that it is official policy to promote relations with muslims, yes, moderate muslims, and that it is necessary to do so if this "long war" is ever going to suceed. That's what I mean when I say, formally, that the people of the mideast or muslims in general are not, in any way shape or form, considered "the enemy" - becuase it is our (US) national military policy.

However, there are two other important points to be made:

First, yes, there are moderate (and secular)muslims. I live in a moderate muslim country, filled with moderate muslims who drink beer and do all sorts of other things that fundamentalist muslims don't. I think they drive as bad as anyone from Boston, but that's not a reason to hate them, or declare them the enemy. In fact, empowering moderate muslims, and gaining their friendship and assistance, are the only way to win this war. If suddenly tomorrow all the muslims in the world decided they didn't want to cooperate with the US, then our war effort would grind to a halt overnight. And so when people start implying or outright saying that "all muslims are our enemy" then it makes my job, and the job of every service-member out here, that much more difficult and dangerous. We're trying to win this war, and find OBL, and declaring war on an entire religion is not the way to do that.

Second, one fights wars against people NOT regions. So, to state that "IMO, the entire middle east outside of Israel and possibly Turkey are our de facto enemies, regardless of the diplomatic niceties." is just nonesensical to me.
How much do you know about Turkey by the way? They are exactly the sort of Muslims that I'm talking about when I say moderate (and very much secular).

In fact, I think you're also conflating people and geography and religion. One does not equal the other.

Note the following (from wikipedia)"There are estimated to be 1.4 billion adherents, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world...Today, Muslims may be found throughout the world, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. The majority of Muslims are not Arabs; only 20 percent of Muslims originate from Arab countries. Islam is the second largest religion in the United Kingdom, and many other European countries, including France, which has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe. If current trends continue it will soon become the second-largest religion in the United States."

EDIT: deleted constipated and duplicate writing, added last line of thinking