Some argue that the absence of a secular liberal option in Arab politics stems from fear of political Islam. For decades, Western powers backed military regimes in the Arab world, willingly ignoring their systematic repression of democratic movements and rights, in order to ensure that Islamists did not gain power.
有人指出，阿拉伯政治之所以缺乏世俗自由主义的选择，是因为害怕政治伊斯兰教。几十年来，西方列强一直支持着阿拉伯世界的军事统治，有意忽略它们对民主运动和权利的系统性镇压，以确保伊斯兰教不会赢得权力。