Many people believe that every conflict in the Middle East stems from that shadowy bugbear, "Islamic Fundamentalism," and that every terrorist incident can be laid at the feet of the "radical Moslems." Alas, things are not so simple. In the Middle East secularism, fundamentalism, nationalism, and many other "-isms" all jostle for power and prestige. Today's sworn enemy might well be tomorrow's friend … and vice versa. There are innumerable factions seeking to impose their order on this chaos. What follows is a brief listing of some of the most important players. A few have become household names; others are little-known in the United States. As the region lurches ever-closer to full-scale war, they are all certain to play a major role in the days and weeks to come.
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