With the current turmoil in the middle-east, and Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood clinging desperately to their new-found power in Egypt, a little history is in order to fully grasp the full picture of what is happening, and why Germany is involving itself with Islam.
The history of modern German colonialism begins with the advent of Bismarck. Although at first preoccupied with the problems of the newly unified German states, he ultimately hastened to satisfy his imperialistic appetite by extending German power abroad. But the Prussian Chancellor's decision to encourage the Reich's penetration of Africa came very late, and Bismarck had to content himself with the residue of the other powers.
The nineteenth century was an age of empire builders, with the scientific and economic might of England and France everywhere expanding. Britain had already occupied Egypt, colonized much of Africa, while France was firmly entrenched in Algeria and Tunisia. Now, with a cautious respect for London, Bismarck attempted to fish in the remaining colonial waters of the African Continent.
With British consent, he managed to establish, in April, 1884, the first German protectorate on the southwestern coast of Africa. Eventually, German East Africa (Tangan-yika), Togoland, and the Cameroons were added to the glory of the Berlin Colonial Office. In 1905, the Reich was eliminated from the arena of colonization by Britain and France, when the latter recognized the establishment of a British protectorate over Egypt, in return for British acknowledgment of a French protectorate over Morocco.
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