Political Islam and its militant branch, islamism, has grown stronger in the Middle East in the last few decades. This political and religious ideology has gained ground in most of the region’s nations with its message of the eternal war between good and evil, often represented by the western world and Israel. It is not the Arabic-Israeli conflict that is the fundamental problem in the Middle East, but rather radical islamism.
The war between Israel and Hiz’ballah in Lebanon in the summer of 2006 was a victory for Hizb’allah and its main ally – the Iran regime. But the war was also a victory for islamism. A victory which could have been avoided if the international community had acted forcefully and with solidarity towards Lebanon after Israel’s retreat in 2000. Instead the most uncompromising ideology in the Middle East has got wind in its sails. The consequences of this may be both long-term and devastating.
Islamismens seger is necessary reading for those seeking to understand islamism’s role in world politics today.
Magnus Norell is a researcher at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) and at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He has specialized in issues concerning terrorism, political violence and security policy in the Middle East and Central Asia. He is also a columnist for Utrikesbloggen.se.
