Going by the “Clash of Civilizations” theory of Samuel H. Huntington, scholars should not have expected that Egyptian and Syrian leaders, for example, would crack down on Islamic fundamentalist groups because __________

a. such an understanding would consider these leaders’ perspectives to be consistent with hostility toward other great civilizations, such as the Western world, instead of conflict within a civilization.
b. Egypt and Syria have a strong diplomatic relationship
c. pan-Arabism has been a powerful force in the Middle East for decades, and pride in Islamic religion strongly contributes that movement
d. the future of global conflict will be based upon identification with religious-based organizations, as well as countries

Answer: A