To get a Western-style wall between mosque-and-state in historically Muslim societies requires an almost unthinkable rewriting of the social contract.<p>Islam is not just a religion. It is a very deliberately structured guide for the entirety of society. &quot;Full-stack&quot; social control as we on HN might call it. The Quran is a complete manual that details everything expected and required of a good Muslim, from the food that can be eaten to the appearance of your body.<p>Trying to make a wedge between Islam and government in these places simply will not work. Many European historians contend that Western state secularism was a direct result of there being no lasting European empire following Rome to enforce religious doctrines (whereas most of the ME has been in the hands of one empire or another since the founding of Islam), and the Protestant Reformation only cemented the expectation among various nobles that they get to rule the world while the church sticks with ruling the soul.<p>In short, the greater Middle East will <i>always</i> remain governed by religious politics.  Something has to fix the mess out there, but excluding religion simply won&#x27;t work.