At the Heart of Terror: Islam, Jihadists, and America's War on TerrorismThis readable and deeply informed book examines the threat that Islamic extremists pose to the United States and provides a balanced and nuanced discussion of Iraq as a test case of America's war on terrorism. Explaining the basics of Islam and guiding the reader through the intricacies of each significant extremist group, the authors answer key questions: Who are the Jihadists and how do they fit within the broader context of the Islamic religion? What is their war plan and how do they operate? Who are their allies and what are their weaknesses? What is the experience of Israel, the Islamic world, and the United States in fighting Islamic extremists? How can they be defeated? Drawing on decades of experience in the Middle East, the authors provide the only current analysis of the vulnerabilities of the Jihadists, linking those weaknesses to concrete strategies to defeat them. The Palmers trace the movement far beyond Osama bin Laden and the now-splintering al-Qaeda into a range of autonomous networks. The authors also provide extensive information on the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizbullah, and other extremist groups attempting to achieve an Islamic state by more-or-less peaceful means. Their relationship with the Jihadists and their potential for violence are explored in detail. The book also provides the first in-depth discussion of the evolution of a vibrant Hizbullah organization in Iraq. This vitally important work reflects the authors' thorough understanding of the culture and history of the Muslim world. Careful in its analysis, its subtle observations pay tribute to the authors' thirty years of working with Middle Eastern organizations and conducting pioneering studies in the areas of Arab psychology and political behavior. The Palmers effectively combine an engaging writing style and extensive personal experience into an invaluable resource for both policy makers and general readers. |
Contents
Who Is Attacking America? | 1 |
Islam Muslim Extremism and AntiAmericanism | 9 |
Muslim Relations with Christians and Jews | 10 |
Unity and Turmoil within Islam | 12 |
The Evolution of Islamic Extremism | 14 |
The Sources of Muslim Discontent | 20 |
Gauging Popular Support for Muslim Extremists | 23 |
Levels of Islamic Religiosity | 26 |
The Psychology of Terror | 129 |
The Components of Terror | 131 |
Terror and the Propaganda War | 140 |
Compelling Logic for Attacking America | 143 |
One War Plan or Several? | 145 |
The Jihadist War Machine | 149 |
The Pyramid of Terror | 156 |
Who Are They What Motivates Them and How Goo Are They? | 165 |
Separating Islamic Extremism from AntiAmericanism | 31 |
The Muslim Brotherhood and Hizbullah RadicalModerates | 39 |
The Muslim Brotherhood | 41 |
A Tale of Three Countries | 55 |
Can the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizbullah Serve as a Counterweight to the Jihadists? | 76 |
The Jihadist Movement and How It Evolved | 85 |
Egypt and the Origins of Modern Jihadism | 86 |
The Islamic Revolution | 91 |
The Jihadist Gateway to the Far East and Central Asia | 92 |
Afghanistan and the Making of a Muslim Hero | 96 |
An International Terrorist Network Takes Shape | 100 |
The Battle for Algeria | 106 |
Hamas and Holy Jihad | 110 |
The Jihadist War Comes to America | 116 |
From Turabi to bin Laden | 118 |
The Continuing Evolution of the Jihadist Movement | 123 |
The Jihadist War Plan | 127 |
The Physical Plant | 172 |
The Allies of the Jihadists Those Who Make Terror Possible | 177 |
The Struggle for the Control of Islam | 178 |
Drug Lords Mafioso and Other Kindred Souls | 192 |
How Israel and Its Middle Eastern Neighbors Fight Terror | 207 |
The Basic Principles of Israeli AntiTerrorist Strategy | 212 |
The Struggle against Jihadist Terror in the Islamic World | 231 |
Relevance of the Experience of Israel and the Islamic World to Americas War on Terror | 240 |
The Future Winning the War on Terror | 247 |
How Well is American Doing? | 249 |
Why the Glitches? | 255 |
Defeating the Jihadists | 260 |
Selected Bibliography | 273 |
287 | |
About the Authors | |
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Common terms and phrases
accessed Afghan Arabs Afghanistan al Qaeda Al-Jazeera Algeria allies American anti-Americanism as-Sadr assassination Ayatollah Bank bombing Brotherhood and Hizbullah Cairo charities Christian civilians cooperation countries Egypt Egyptian emir extremists faith fear fighting forces global Ha'aretz Hamas Hizbullah holy Iran Iranian Iraq Iraqi Islamic Group Islamic Jihad Islamic movement Islamic Revolution Islamic world Israel Israeli Jerusalem Post Jewish Jews jihadist groups jihadist movement jihadist organizations jihadist terror Khomeini killing Laden leadership Lebanese Lebanon major Middle East Middle Eastern military mosques Mubarak Muslim Brotherhood Muslim world Occupied Territories operations Pakistan Palestine Palestinian jihadists peace percent political population Prophet Mohammed regime region religious role Saddam Hussein Saudi Arabia secular Sept September 11 attacks Sharon Sheikh Shi'a Soviets sub-emirs Sudan suicide Sunni jihadists Syria Taliban targets terrorist threat tion Turabi United victory violence war on terror weapons zeal
References to this book
Unmodern Men in the Modern World: Radical Islam, Terrorism, and the War on ... Michael J. Mazarr No preview available - 2007 |
Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy: [3 Volumes] Yonah Alexander,Michael B. Kraft No preview available - 2007 |