
Jason A. answered 02/26/19
Ten+ Years Experience Teaching and Publishing in World History
Answering this question is complicated because in many people's accounts, the development of the Middle East following the World Wars was one in which Islamic Fundamentalism emerged out of the struggle between American-led world capitalism and Soviet-lead world communism. The defeat of communism in many Middle Eastern countries by world capitalism created economic inequalities that were difficult to justify other than by pointing to the United States as its central source. If the US had not intervened and the inequalities had not intensified to such a degree, it is entirely possible that Fundamentalist strains of Islam would not have taken hold in the way that they have.