Book Review: Other Areas: Fault Lines in Global Jihad: Organizational, Strategic and Ideological Fissures
| Date | 01 May 2013 |
| DOI | 10.1111/1478-9302.12016_49 |
| Author | Francesco Marone |
| Published date | 01 May 2013 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
I N T E R N A T I O N A L R E L A T I O N S
foreign policies and those of the United States in the
Fault Lines in Global Jihad: Organizational, Stra-
Middle East in the years since 1945. Consequently, the
tegic and Ideological Fissures by Assaf Moghadam
60-plus year sweep of this volume begins prior to both
and Brian Fishman (eds). Abingdon: Routledge,
Israeli independence and the formation of the Euro-
2011. 271pp., £85.00, ISBN 9780415586245
pean Coal and Steel Community and concludes with a
The starting point of this important book, written
chapter on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
before Osama bin Laden’s death, is the ‘growing sense
The book begins with articles on the 1956 Suez
among terrorism analysts that al-Qa’ida is on the losing
crisis (Tore Petersen) and the 2003 Iraq War (Victor
side of the battle against its enemies, foremost among
Mauer). While these two events provide convenient
them the United States’ (p. 1). In this view, inspired by
hooks to highlight how American and European inter-
cautious optimism, al-Qa’eda and its jihadi allies have
ests can clash in the Middle East, the extent of the
weakened and are unlikely to achieve their ultimate
divisions over Iraq were ultimately less pronounced and
goals but, despite various setbacks and failures, they
less psychically scarring than those over Suez. Eighteen
remain operationally capable.
NATO members, including Britain, Italy, Spain, Poland
The editors of the volume ascribe the weakening of
and the Netherlands contributed troops either to the
the transnational jihadi movement to a combination of
war or the occupation of Iraq, and France rejoined the
‘exogenous’ Western-induced pressures (particularly
NATO command structure in 2009.
counter-terrorism efforts) and ‘endogenous’ problems.
Nevertheless, Washington’s regional interests have
...
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