Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?

Not that I agree, but when anything remotely "Christian" comes into question with this sort of thing, the United States is pretty much used as the prime example of "all that is wrong." You're talking about a primarily Christian country that considers itself the forerunner of "Western" civilization in this day and age. So, naturally the connection for Islamic extremists is: Pope = Catholic = Western = United States = Grrrr!