Fuller, Graham E (2004), Islamist in the Arab World: The Dance around Democracy. Carnegie Papers. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Fuller argues that democracy and political Islam are quite compatible in principle and in reality. Specific external and internal political forces complicates this process such as the presence of oil, geography, Islamism, low income levels on non-oil Arab states, Arab-Israeli tensions, geography and long term western support for friendly tyrants in the middle east. There is no example of a democracy in the Middle East. Islamists who came to power n Sudan, Iran and Afghanistan got there through a non democratic process and showed little concern for democracy. The real test of Islamist commitment to democracy is when they come to power through democratic elections and then risk loss in future elections. Fuller sees within Islamist politics some key developments that hold promise for the future such as the broad understanding of democratization and the benefits that accrue for Islamist parties themselves and the signs of growing pragmatism and realism based on experience. Two things need to happen before we see any long term trend in moderation within Arab Islamist politics: the collapse of the old regimes or they open up the political process and the curtailment of the external source of radicalization, such as the end of the radical right wing policies of the Likud in Israel, withdrawal of American troops from the region and an end to anti-Muslim discrimination that has arisen with the war on terrorism.