I think that articles like the one linked in the OP rely on the cliche that most Americans don't really know anything about other countries, and use that ignorance in order to fire up a bit of hysteria.
I could go through the article and fisk it, but I really can't be bothered. Like I said, pretty much all of it is bollocks.
I was just waiting for some wombat to tell me that I don't know what is going on where I live, and it is all because we have no more guns 'n sheit. No doubt they'll be along soon.
God help us, we didn't mean to bother you.
