As Moderate Islamists Retreat, Extremists Surge Unchecked
In The New York Times, David Kirkpatrick reports on the setbacks suffered by Islamist politicians over the last year. While moderate Islamists took power in many countries in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, they have recently been losing ground, often in the face of military coups. This apparent failure by many Islamist politicians to maintain power has underscored militants’ calls for armed tactics. After the Egyptian military removed Egypt’s president last year, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria said, “Rights cannot be restored except by force.”