But the Brotherhood’s influence is not limited to Egypt; it has spread among much of the 1.6 billion Sunni Muslims in the region and beyond. The Brotherhood is the most popular face of resistance in West Asia, the leading champion of political Islam and a master organiser of street protests. Indeed, the Brotherhood played a lead role in the unqualified initial success of the Arab Spring. Its role in cementing together the streets heaving with protests helped democratic and opposition forces in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Consequently, and naturally, the Brotherhood incurred the ire of the powerful Gulf monarchies, military regimes and their Western supporters.