The New Threat From Islamic Militancy by Jason Burke
| The New Threat From Islamic Militancy by Jason Burke | |
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| Category: Politics and Society | |
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Reviewer: John Ewbank
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| Summary: Jason Burke's informative and timely book provides an excellent introduction to the confusing world of Islamic militancy. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 320 | Date: January 2016 |
| Publisher: Vintage | |
| ISBN: 978-1784701475 | |
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Barely a day passes without Islamic militancy making headlines somewhere in the world, and yet it can be a hard subject to grasp. The sudden rise of Islamic State and their campaign of shocking violence both in the Middle East and further afield has left many confused and fearful, and has provoked a sometimes extreme political response. In "The New Threat From Islamic Militancy", Jason Burke, a journalist with two decades of experience reporting on the Islamic world, attempts to correct the many misconceptions surrounding Islamic extremism to give a true understanding of the threat we now face.
Burke starts with the origins of Islamic terrorism, from the revival of religious fundamentalism in the 1960s and 70s, to the Mujahideen and the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, to the rise of al-Qaeda in the 1990s and the growth of global jihad, and finally the capture of Mosul by Islamic State in 2014. Islamic State is a major focus of the book and Burke describes their origins, aims and philosophy in detail. What emerges is not the group of bloodthirsty lunatics portrayed by the media but a well-organised quasi-state, complete with taxation, a legal system, schools and a sophisticated propaganda machine. Even the violence is shown to be coldly calculating, with the three-fold aim of terrorising opponents, mobilising supporters and polarising the middle ground.
Burke also discusses the smaller organisations that pledge allegiance to al-Qaeda or Islamic State. These include al-Qaeda 'affiliates' such al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and al-Shabaab, and Islamic State's 'wilayats', or territories, in Libya and the Sinai Peninsula. Burke also describes the more recent phenomenon of the 'leaderless jihad' and documents the radicalisation of 'home-grown' terrorists such as the Tsarnaev brothers (responsible for the Boston marathon bombing), Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale (who murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby in London) and Mohamed Merah (responsible for a series of shootings in southern France). Such men, Burke argues, are far from being lone wolves or even home-grown and were in fact part of an extensive global movement of Islamic extremism.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading The New Threat (the subject matter is too grim) but I found it highly informative and it clarified much I had previously found confusing. It also helped to give an insight into the motives and world view of those who commit terrorist acts in the name of Islam, although as Burke notes, understanding is not equivalent to sympathising. Burke is clearly an authority on the subject, and he writes with confidence and clarity. If there is a weakness, it's that parts of the book are a bit dry and read like a textbook, and it's strange that Burke gives so little of his own experiences of reporting from the Middle East. A few anecdotes or personal insights would have gone a long way, and Burke, one feels, must be a man with plenty at his disposal.
It's also worth noting that books this topical quickly become, if not out of date, then at least no longer current. Whilst The New Threat is as up-to-date as it gets, it was written before the November attacks in Paris and so does not consider Islamic State to pose a threat to Western targets. Whilst that has clearly changed, the book remains highly relevant and is essential reading for anyone who wants to fully understand the nature of Islamic extremism today.
Thank you to Vintage for providing the review copy.
Further reading: For more insights into the Arab world we recommend The Arab Spring: Rebellion, revolution, and a new world order by Toby Manhire (editor) or Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America by Walid Phares.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The New Threat From Islamic Militancy by Jason Burke at Amazon.com.
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