ABSTRACT
Introduction Since the late 1970s, Islamic political movements have become important players in the arena of world politics. The Islamic revolution of Iran, the victorious jihad in Afghanistan, the increasing Islamic rhetoric of Muslim governments and their acts in the name of Islam, the Intifadha of Palestine, and, probably more surprising than all, democratic victories of Islamic parties in secular systems like those of Algeria, Morocco and Turkey, reinforced the important role of Islam in contemporary world politics. Despite some simplistic predictions that it has started its phase of decline since the early 1990s (Kepel 2006: 367), political Islam seems to continue its very critical role in world politics. Yet, it does not work in a vacuum. Other world players, particularly the West, have great impact on how political Islam works.
