Question Everything

The rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East is a relatively recent phenomenon. Iraq has historically been a secular country. Fifty years ago the most popular resistance against western imperialism was Pan-Arab nationalism. This included Nasser, the leader of Egypt and was the original goal of the Baathists (they've now abandoned it). They sought to unite all the Arab countries into one state and kick the imperialists out. For a while they united several countries into the United Arab Republic but it eventually broke up. Marxist-Leninism was the second most popular form of resistence. Part of the reason for the rise of fundamentalism was US sponsorship of it in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan & elsewhere. It is a two edged sword which was used to help undermine Marxist & Nationalist movements but eventually spawned movements against US imperialism. Fundamentalism has become the leading form of resistence because the US & co. suceeded in suppressing the others. There has been left-libertarian movements in the Middle East. In the Iranian Revolution there were workers' councils, shoras, and there were also shoras in the uprising against Saddam at the end of the gulf war.