[Webstral]

Patents are a data point. Like every other data point, a data point on patents has its place in making assessments.

We should be wary of trying to draw connections between the fact that Muslims in Muslim countries want to have religion play a larger role in the affairs of the nation and a low number of patents. Just as a man and a woman standing next to each other are not necessarily lovers or family members, two facts next to each other do not necessarily have a cause-and-effect relationship or even similar causes.

At the risk of generalizing, many moderate Muslims who want to see religion play a larger role in the running of the nation are reacting to Western popular culture. Like many Americans of any faith, moderate Muslims often are disenchanted by the values of American pop culture: loveless sexuality, insatiable consumerism, rampant and irresponsible individualism, violence, disrespect for elders and family, and predatory capitalism. Heck, I don't want my children taking on those values. Moderate Muslims are well aware that modern science and technology provide enormous benefits to society. They just aren't certain that they want to become Beverly Hills 90210. The best defense against pop culture values is a solid grounding in Islam, from the standpoint of many of the world's Muslims.

Of course, one can always find the Wahabbists in the equation. For decades, Saudi Arabia's oil wealth and marriage of necessity to Wahabbism has resulted in the dissemination of extremist interpretations of Islam throughout the Muslim world. Though a minority, Wahabbists are loud and pushy. Like any extremist group, they give the impression that they are much greater in number than they are. So it entirely possible to find voices throughout the Muslim world for the establishment of states based on shari'a.

It's a shame Saddam Hussein invaded Iran before the Iranian Revolution sorted itself out. When Hussein came in, Khomeini & Co. were not in a strong position. The pro-Western Iranians enjoyed wide support. Just how things would have gone in another year is open to interpretation. But the Iraqi invasion allowed Khomeini & Co. to rally the Iranian populace and silence any opposition. A Western-oriented Iran sans the shah might have given the rest of the Muslim world a middle road to travel. Ah, history! So much turns on the decisions of dictators.