Tariq Ramadan (a European Muslim) has this to say:

Of course it started with a few people being hurt by the cartoons. But then a few people took the cartoons to the Middle East. Some governments there were very happy to present themselves as the great champions of Islam. One reason, of course, was to gain legitimacy in the eyes of their own people. But secondly, it was to direct the attention of the people, living under these dictatorial governments, toward the West and to provide their people with a vent for their own frustrations. And it worked -- it became Muslims against the West.

I rather follow this analysis than yours, Little Hawk. The European Muslims are more or less absent when it comes to violent protests against the cartoons. Greg has said it in this or one of the other threads. It is not a very important question for them. Some, even many, may have felt offended, but like the vast majority of Christians in a similar case did shrug the shoulder and went on with life. That lack of violent reaction was a positive surprise. There may be a second reason for their lack of reaction. They were fully informed by the press about the pictures and could see with their own eyes how harmless most of them were. The false propaganda that Mohammed had been depicted in the newspaper having intercourse with an animal that has been spread in some Muslim countries with the intention to whip up hatred couldn't work in an environment in which people have access to the correct information.

Wolfgang