Co. Patrick Lang, who blogs over at Sic Semper Tyrannis, has done a lot of work on the Middle East and Islam, over many years. An online video captures a wide-ranging lecture on Islam at St. Mary's University in March, 2007.

It explains some of the links between the religion's history, structure, and the current behavior of its adherents, in a 1 1/2 hour presentation that's generally worth your time.