A reader offers some useful perspective:

Jonah,
I think having “The Simpsons” broadcast to the Arab world signifies something absolutely incredible. It means that we have won the culture war. Its over, and the west has won. Its as if the call to prayer were broadcast daily in the US. There is no show more ingrained in western culture and more subversive to Arab/Muslim culture… no matter how much editing they do.
Once Arabs get used to Omar and Badr, the dominoes all start to fall. Women will be educated (as per Lisa, or Beesa), and everything sacred will eventually be mocked (or it wouldn’t be the Simpsons). Would be terrorists will tell AQ recruiters “Not to have a cow, man”, or to eat their shorts when asked to strap on a bomb belt. Kids will start to wreak havoc at their madrassas.
10 years from now, we’ll be looking at this as a turning point in Arab culture.
Oh, and is it just me or is it hilarious that Homer will instead of saying “Mmmmmm, Doughnuts” be saying “Mmmmmm, Kahk”.

Me: I’m sympathetic to this scenario, but I should note that the Simpsons is enormously popular in Europe and that popularity has coincided with a sharp uptick in anti-Americanism. Many Europeans see the Simpsons as the quintessential indictment of decadent American culture and we shouldn’t be surprised if a similar interpretation gains ground throughout the Arab world.