War and Politics: Islamists Gain Votes as U.S. Acts

Democratic elections, like the ones recently held in Bahrain and Turkey reflect a turn away from American influence and towards religious leadership. The public interpretation of the US war against terrorism as a war against Islam and Arab culture has been exploited by religiously-oriented political parties to bring about recent victories in the Middle East. Some observers argue that voters in these countries based their decisions not so much on a hope that these new groups would solve pressing socioeconomic problems, but more in a collective attempt to assert pride in their faith to the world. - YaleGlobal