By Hazem Saghieh (
Dar Al-Hayat-Lebanon)
We have just seen how Egypt voted in big numbers for the Muslim Brotherhood, and how Iran left behind the peaceful Islamism represented by President Mohammad Khatami for a rougher kind, represented by his successor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has revealed two radical Islamic currents, one Sunni and one Shiite, while in Syria, it's said that the Islamists will take over from the Syrian Baath Party, if the regime falls.
When it comes to Palestine, we see the rise of Hamas in local elections (and probably in legislative elections in a few weeks' time). We also see it in the street, with clothing, behavior, and general appearance, in Islamic countries and in the diaspora.
The heresy that all of the Middle East's problems are not due to the Arab-Israeli conflict is now being openly stated in the Arab World. Maybe Bush could launch a war to liberate US Middle East Studies departments?