Pan-Islamism

I was browsing through the news on yahoo when I came across this article. I couldn't help to notice who closely it related to the idea of unification of African countries that we read about a few nights ago. It also fit in with the idea that the Islamic countries that are pushing for unification are the ones without oil - and if I remember correctly, Egypt doesn't have any.

In summary, the article, taken from the Wall Street Journal, explains how a secretive Islamic Organization, 'Muslim Brotherhood,' which had gained enormous political power in Egypt, becoming the country's largest opposition party, over the last few years, has just been significantly weakened by the Egyptian government. Because it may have rigged several elections, several of its main leaders have been jailed, its funds have been confiscated, and new laws have been drafted to make it harder for religious parties to be succesfull.

Is this backlash going a bit too far? Perhaps. But in an era when the extreme-Muslim Taliban have almost gained control of Pakistan, a country with nuclear weaponry, such precautions have to be taken.