The Americans view the democratization of the Middle East as the route to peace.
To militant Islamists, the expulsion of the Soviets was just the prelude to purging the entire Islamic world of infidels.
Muslim citizens should never be classified according to their creed, origin, ancestry or culture. After all, I don't define my political or social position by reference to the Christian faith.
In the Arab mindset, democratization may not be an exclusively negative term. But it's associated closely with American policies and the occupation of Iraq.