Download or read book From Territorial Defeat to Global ISIS Lessons Learned written by J.A. Goldstone and published by IOS Press. This book was released on 2021-02-25 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Islamic State (ISIS) forces were driven out of the territories they had acquired in Syria and Iraq, there remained a concern that the threat posed by ISIS was far from over. It was clear that significant long-term strategies would be needed to establish and maintain security and stability if the potential for further radical Islamist threats in the Middle East and among NATO countries was to be eradicated. This book presents papers from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) entitled The Post ISIS-Era: Regional and Global Implications, held in Washington DC, USA, from 6-8 September 2019. The ARW brought together participants from NATO member nations and Partner countries, and from diverse backgrounds, including academia, security, law enforcement, intelligence, military, foreign affairs, media, think tanks, international organizations and embassies. Topics covered included: the future of ISIS after the loss of its territories; maintaining security and stability; analysis of ISIS recruitment and propaganda activities; the returnee problem and the plight of refugees; the processes of radicalization; response to the changing nature of violent extremism; policy recommendations to mitigate the consequences of new threats; and dealing with the exploitation of public fear of terrorism. The book also discusses how the lessons learned can be implemented, and offers specific policy recommendations for the future. It will be of interest to all those involved in combating the international terror threat.

Download or read book Europe and the MENA Region written by Moosa Elayah and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-04-25 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an overview of the National Dialogue design process in fragile settings at the national, regional, and international levels in the MENA region. It provides a comparative analysis at the international level by examining the Yemeni NDC 2013 with those of Afghanistan and Ethiopia, and at the regional level, focusing on Iraq and Tunisia. It also goes beyond the traditional exploration of political and social conflicts by adding a rich theoretical layer of analysis of Humanitarian Aid and its contribution to war economies in the Arab region. Finally, it examines the news frames used in the coverage of the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and takes one step further to integrate a media lens by analysing the extent of the media coverage devoted to the Yemeni and Syrian wars by four prestigious European online news platforms. This incisive book presents a radical contrast between the on-ground reality of the conflicts in the region, distinguished by various social, political, economic, geographic, and humanitarian challenges, and its discordant abstract portrayal in European online media.

Download or read book Routledge Handbook of Non Violent Extremism written by Elisa Orofino and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-03-09 with total page 547 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Handbook provides the first in-depth analysis of non-violent extremism across different ideologies and geographic centres, a topic overshadowed until now by the political and academic focus on violent and jihadi extremism in the Global North. Whilst acknowledging the potentiality of non-violent extremism as a precursor to terrorism, this Handbook argues that non-violent extremism ought to be considered a stand-alone area of study. Focusing on Islamist, Buddhist, Hindu, far-right, far-left, environmentalist and feminist manifestations, the Handbook discusses the ideological foundation of their ‘war on ideas’ against the prevailing socio-political and cultural systems in which they operate, and provides an empirical examination of their main claims and perspectives. This is supplemented by a truly global overview of non-violent extremist groups not only in Europe and the United States, but also in Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Middle East. The Handbook thus answers a call to decolonise knowledge that is especially prescient given both the complicity of non-violent extremists with authoritarian states and the dynamic of oppression towards more progressive groups in the Global South. The Handbook will appeal to those studying extremism, radicalisation and terrorism. It intersects several relevant disciplines, including social movement studies, political science, criminology, Islamic studies and anthropology.

Download or read book The Air War Against the Islamic State written by Becca Wasser and published by . This book was released on 2021-10-31 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Airpower played a pivotal role in the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State from 2014 to 2019 and contributed to the success of Operation Inherent Resolve, but airpower alone would not have been likely to defeat the militant organization.

Download or read book The ISIS Reader written by Haroro J. Ingram and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-01-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the wake of its "Caliphate" declaration in 2014, the self-described Islamic State has been the focus of countless academic papers, government studies, media commentaries and documentaries. Despite all this attention, persistent myths continue to shape--and misdirect--public understanding and strategic policy decisions. A significant factor in this trend has been a strong disinclination to engage critically with Islamic State's speeches and writings--as if doing so reflects empathy with the movement's goals or, even more absurdly, may itself lead to radicalisation. Going beyond the descriptive and the sensationalist, this volume presents and analyses a series of milestone Islamic State primary source materials. Scholar-practitioners with field experience in confronting the movement explore and contextualise its approach to warfare, propaganda and governance, examining the factors behind its dramatic evolution from failed proto-state in 2010 to standard-bearer of global jihadism in 2014, to besieged insurgency in 2018. The ISIS Reader will help anyone--students and journalists, military personnel, civil servants and inquisitive observers--to better understand not only the evolution of Islamic State and the dynamics of asymmetric warfare, but the importance of primary sources in doing so.

Download or read book Global Rebellion written by Mark Juergensmeyer and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2008-05-16 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why has the turn of the twenty-first century been rocked by a new religious rebellion? From al Qaeda to Christian militias to insurgents in Iraq, a strident new religious activism has seized the imaginations of political rebels around the world. Building on his groundbreaking book, The New Cold War?: Religious Nationalism Confronts the Secular State, Mark Juergensmeyer here provides an up-to-date road map through this complex new religious terrain. Basing his discussion on interviews with militant activists and case studies of rebellious movements, Juergensmeyer puts a human face on conflicts that have become increasingly abstract. He revises our notions of religious revolution and offers positive proposals for responding to religious activism in ways that will diminish the violence and lead to an accommodation between radical religion and the secular world.

Download or read book Remote Warfare Interdisciplinary Perspectives written by Alasdair McKay and published by . This book was released on 2021-02 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Modern warfare is becoming increasingly defined by distance. Today, many Western and non-Western states have shied away from deploying large numbers of their own troops to battlefields. Instead, they have limited themselves to supporting the frontline fighting of local and regional actors against non-state armed forces through the provision of intelligence, training, equipment and airpower. This is remote warfare, the dominant method of military engagement now employed by many states. Despite the increasing prevalence of this distinct form of military engagement, it remains an understudied subject and considerable gaps exist in the academic understanding of it. Bringing together writers from various backgrounds, this edited volume offers a critical enquiry into the use of remote warfare.

Download or read book Weapons of Misfortune written by Josh Luberisse and published by Fortis Novum Mundum. This book was released on 2024-09-29 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the aftermath of more than seven decades of U.S. interventions in the Middle East, the region remains a complex web of proxy wars, fragile alliances, and entrenched conflicts. From the covert operations that toppled Iran’s Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953, to the ill-fated invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East has been marked by a recurring pattern of short-term victories at the cost of long-term stability. Yet, time and again, the United States has engaged in conflicts driven by a mixture of geopolitical ambitions, strategic miscalculations, and ideological commitments, often leaving the region more unstable than before. From the Cold War’s ideological struggles to the War on Terror's fight against jihadism, Weapons of Misfortune critically examines the global implications of U.S. interventions—how the decisions to arm insurgents, back proxy forces, and topple regimes have inadvertently created power vacuum that birthed insurgencies, extremist movements, hostile regimes and enduring instability. The focus is on how U.S. actions, whether driven by ideological goals, the desire for geopolitical dominance, or securing immediate security interests, have often backfired, empowering adversaries from al-Qaeda to ISIS, and allowing other global players like Russia and China to expand their influence in regions once dominated by the U.S. This book provides a detailed analysis of pivotal events—such as the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the rise of ISIS, the civil war in Yemen and Syria, the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and the post-9/11 invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq —to illustrate how the U.S.'s reliance on military force and proxy alliances has frequently undermined its long-term strategic objectives. It also delves into the humanitarian consequences of these interventions, highlighting how U.S.-backed wars have contributed to refugee crises, sectarian violence, and the destabilization of entire regions. Weapons of Misfortune reveal the recurring flaws in U.S. strategy: a tendency to prioritize immediate tactical victories over the nuanced political, social, and economic realities of the countries it seeks to influence. Through a meticulous analysis of the historical context of U.S. actions, this book offers a clear-eyed reflection on the failures of regime change, the pitfalls of arming proxy forces, and the unintended consequences of creating power vacuums that allow insurgent groups like al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Taliban to thrive. The book’s critical reflection on U.S. interventions offers not only a sober assessment of past mistakes but also lessons for the future. It suggests potential strategies for how the U.S. can re-engage in the Middle East—and other volatile regions—without repeating the same errors. By embracing diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and a deeper understanding of local dynamics, the book argues that the U.S. can move away from its over-reliance on military solutions and instead promote stability, good governance, and sustainable development in a region that remains pivotal to global security. Weapons of Misfortune is a must-read for policymakers, scholars, and anyone interested in understanding the long-term implications of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. The book does not shy away from confronting uncomfortable truths, but rather aims to equip readers with the insights needed to craft a more thoughtful, sustainable, and effective path forward. As the U.S. faces a shifting global order, marked by the rise of China, Russia, and other regional powers, Weapons of Misfortune serves as a timely reminder that the choices made in distant capitals have real and lasting consequences on the ground. By reflecting on the lessons of the past, this book offers a roadmap for a more nuanced, responsible, and contextually informed approach to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and beyond.

Download or read book Foundations of the Islamic State written by Patrick B. Johnston and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2016-05-18 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing from 140 recently declassified documents, this report comprehensively examines the organization, territorial designs, management, personnel policies, and finances of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) and al-Qa‘ida in Iraq. Analysis of the Islamic State predecessor groups is more than a historical recounting. It provides significant understanding of how ISI evolved into the present-day Islamic State and how to combat the group.

Download or read book Road Warriors written by Daniel Byman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-05-02 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, fighters from abroad have journeyed in ever-greater numbers to conflict zones in the Muslim world to defend Islam from-in their view-infidels and apostates. The phenomenon recently reached its apogee in Syria, where the foreign fighter population quickly became larger and more diverse than in any previous conflict. In Road Warriors, Daniel Byman provides a sweeping history of the jihadist foreign fighter movement. He begins by chronicling the movement's birth in Afghanistan, its growing pains in Bosnia and Chechnya, and its emergence as a major source of terrorism in the West in the 1990s, culminating in the 9/11 attacks. Since that bloody day, the foreign fighter movement has seen major ups and downs. It rode high after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, when the ultra-violent Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) attracted thousands of foreign fighters. AQI overreached, however, and suffered a crushing defeat. Demonstrating the resilience of the movement, however, AQI reemerged anew during the Syrian civil war as the Islamic State, attracting tens of thousands of fighters from around the world and spawning the bloody 2015 attacks in Paris among hundreds of other strikes. Although casualty rates are usually high, the survivors of Afghanistan, Syria, and other fields of jihad often became skilled professional warriors, going from one war to the next. Still others returned to their home countries, some to peaceful retirement but a deadly few to conduct terrorist attacks. Over time, both the United States and Europe have learned to adapt. Before 9/11, volunteers went to and fro to Afghanistan and other hotspots with little interference. Today, the United States and its allies have developed a global program to identify, arrest, and kill foreign fighters. Much remains to be done, however-jihadist ideas and networks are by now deeply embedded, even as groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State rise and fall. And as Byman makes abundantly clear, the problem is not likely to go away any time soon.

Download or read book After the Caliphate written by Colin P. Clarke and published by Polity. This book was released on 2019-06-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2014, the declaration of the Islamic State caliphate was hailed as a major victory by the global jihadist movement. But it was short-lived. Three years on, the caliphate was destroyed, leaving its surviving fighters – many of whom were foreign recruits – to retreat and scatter across the globe. So what happens now? Is this the beginning of the end of IS? Or can it adapt and regroup after the physical fall of the caliphate? In this timely analysis, terrorism expert Colin P. Clarke takes stock of IS – its roots, its evolution, and its monumental setbacks – to assess the road ahead. The caliphate, he argues, was an anomaly. The future of the global jihadist movement will look very much like its past – with peripatetic and divided groups of militants dispersing to new battlefields, from North Africa to Southeast Asia, where they will join existing civil wars, establish safe havens and sanctuaries, and seek ways of conducting spectacular attacks in the West that inspire new followers. In this fragmented and atomized form, Clarke cautions, IS could become even more dangerous and challenging for counterterrorism forces, as its splinter groups threaten renewed and heightened violence across the globe.

Download or read book The Future of ISIS written by Feisal al-Istrabadi and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2018-06-26 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Looking to the future in confronting the Islamic State The Islamic State (best known in the West as ISIS or ISIL) has been active for less than a decade, but it has already been the subject of numerous histories and academic studies—all focus primarily on the past. The Future of ISIS is the first major study to look ahead: what are the prospects for the Islamic State in the near term, and what can the global community, including the United States, do to counter it? Edited by two distinguished scholars at Indiana University, the book examines how ISIS will affect not only the Middle East but the global order. Specific chapters deal with such questions as whether and how ISIS benefitted from intelligence failures, and what can be done to correct any such failures; how to confront the alarmingly broad appeal of Islamic State ideology; the role of local and regional actors in confronting ISIS; and determining U.S. interests in preventing ISIS from gaining influence and controlling territory. Given the urgency of the topic, The Future of ISIS is of interest to policymakers, analysts, and students of international affairs and public policy.

Download or read book Militants Criminals and Warlords written by Vanda Felbab-Brown and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2017-11-28 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " Conventional political theory holds that the sovereign state is the legitimate source of order and provider of public services in any society, whether democratic or not. But Hezbollah and ISIS in the Middle East, pirate clans in Africa, criminal gangs in South America, and militias in Southeast Asia are examples of nonstate actors that control local territory and render public services that the nation-state cannot or will not provide. This fascinating book takes the reader around the world to areas where national governance has broken down—or never really existed. In these places, the vacuum has been filled by local gangs, militias, and warlords, some with ideological or political agendas and others focused primarily on economic gain. Many of these actors have substantial popularity and support among local populations and have developed their own enduring institutions, often undermining the legitimacy of the national state. The authors show that the rest of the world has more than a passing interest in these situations, in part because transborder crime and terrorism often emerge but also because failed states threaten international interests from trade to security. This book also poses, and offers answers for, the question: How should the international community respond to local orders dominated by armed nonstate actors? In many cases outsiders have taken the short-term route—accepting unsavory local actors out of expediency—but at the price of long-term instability or damage to human rights and other considerations. From Africa and the Middle East to Asia and Latin America, the local situations highlighted in this book are, and will remain, high on today's international agenda. The book makes a unique contribution to global understanding of how those situations developed and what can be done about them. This title is part of the Geopolitics in the 21st Century series. "

Download or read book Understanding Terrorism Analysis of Sociological and Psychological Aspects written by S. Ozeren and published by IOS Press. This book was released on 2007-07-13 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Terrorism is a multi dimensional phenomenon and this publication aims at comprehending it. This book has unique characteristics in terms of its focus on different issues; it has a comprehensive focus on the conceptualization of terrorism and understanding of it. It does not only explain the concept, it also addresses the important issues which help us to really understand why and how individuals commit such an act. Issues range from social and psychological analysis of a terrorist behavior to extremist subcultures and globalization. This publication also successfully reviews and analyzes underlying causes of terrorism and what really makes it valuable is that the chapters present the topics with relevant data which is current and up-to-date. Issues such as inequality, globalization, immigration, gender, and democracy are analyzed with research involving comprehensive data analysis. Furthermore, the book has both theoretical discussion and practical experience which makes this study a source book for the academicians and practitioners. It reflects the experience and knowledge of the authors most of whom have both academic and practical experience in the field. The chapters have the analysis based on professional experience and successful academic research.

Download or read book International Law and New Wars written by Christine Chinkin and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-04-27 with total page 611 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the difficulties in applying international law to recent armed conflicts known as 'new wars'.

Download or read book Gender Mainstreaming in Counter terrorism Efforts in the Western Balkans written by M. Hadji-Janev and published by IOS Press. This book was released on 2021-11-25 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Amplified by a volatile security environment, technology and globalization, terrorism and violent extremism have become a genuine threat on a global level, and the ability of terrorist groups to capitalize on local issues such as poverty and inequality have helped to fuel the process of radicalization and recruitment. The region of the Western Balkans is not immune to these trends, and the gender component has been recognized as an important aspect in efforts to counter and prevent such practices. This book presents edited contributions delivered at the NATO Advanced Training Course (ATC) “Gender Mainstreaming in Counter-terrorism Efforts in Western Balkans” held from 16 to 21 May 2021. The event was designed to explore gender perspectives in counter-terrorism efforts in the Western Balkans and in the wider security-sector, and to analyze drivers to radicalization through the lens of gender. This ATC brought together more than 50 military and civilian participants from 7 countries in the Western Balkans and south-eastern Europe and 35 expert lecturers. Topics include the legal and political framework of gender mainstreaming; the role of technology; the drivers, motivations and roles of women in radicalization and extremist groups; counter-terrorism and gender; gender-sensitive approaches to counter terrorism; gendered perspectives from the frontline; the prospects for women’s leadership roles in community-based approaches; and challenges to the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the Western Balkans. Highlighting critical components and providing a unique insight which contributes to the academic debate on gender mainstreaming in P/CVE and CT efforts, the book will be of interest to all those involved in countering the spread of terrorism worldwide.

Download or read book Holy War Inc written by Peter L. Bergen and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2002-06-04 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: CNN's terrorism analyst examines Osama bin Laden's global terrorist network, al-Queda, discussing its operations and mission, the planning and execution of specific terrorist acts, and future threats from militant Islamic movements.