Although the Iranian revolution of 1979 was the pivotal moment that shifted US attitudes against what the West labeled "Islamic fundamentalism," certain incidents prefigured this shift. These incidents persuaded the United States that Islamists could not always be trusted to act in the interests of the West. In 1973, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, Nasser's successor, led a war against Israel under the banner of Islam. Whereas Nasser had mobilized pan-Arab nationalism, Sadat turned to religion. His domestic strategy involved promoting the Muslim Brotherhood as a way to weaken and isolate the secular nationalists. Islam was therefore a useful tool for him in the same ways it was for the United States. In fact, Sadat went on to become the West's darling after making peace with Israel, until the forces that he helped unleash turned against him and assassinated him in 1981.

XREF: Connects to broader pattern of governments empowering religious movements as counterweights, which often later backfire — echoes US arming of mujahideen.

Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politi…, loc. 232