Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century

Author - Marc Sageman ... [Goo?] [Posters]

This Hardcover Book item from University of Pennsylvania Press was reviewed on 31-Jul-2008.

Search ISBN:0812240650 offer from Abebooks or used books from Alibris. Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century Reference Book. Classifications : Network Security Networking Computers & Internet Subjects Books General Politics Nonfiction Subjects Books International Security Freedom & Security Politics Nonfiction Subjects Books Cultural Anthrop . Click the following link to view the cover of Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century.

Related topics: Network Security. Networking. Subjects. Books. General. Politics. Nonfiction. Subjects. Books. Freedom & Security.

1) Hardcover Book Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century by University of Pennsylvania Press. This is an excellent book and provides numerous examples about looking at the root causes of terrorism. The author uses a somewhat scientific approach to looking at the root causes of terrorism, for example, he looked at the ages of terrorists, their education and background to debunk current thinking that terrorists have been disenfrancised. Instead he looks at radical islamists/terrorist as having been influenced by radical peers, the Iraqi invasion and the internet chat rooms. There is much to be said about "leaderless jihad" because terrorists evolve not as recruits of a central body but as separate groups that take the jihad on their own.He further defines future efforts and approaches to combat this "leaderless jihad".¤

2) Hardcover Book Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century by University of Pennsylvania Press. This seems to me an overrated, padded book, with little insight but much fodder for the author´s future grant applications. There is some useful culling of statistical reports. The psychological profiles teach less than nothing about the individual jihadis. Sageman´s main point, that terrorism is now decentralized and needs to be prevented by adequate psychological massaging of potential recruits, is undercut by his prefatory scene-setting admissions: the jihad has been reduced to low-level cells that lack adequate technical and planning skills precisely because the high end leadership has been run to ground and killed. Of course they could rise and reorganize (if they have not to some extent done so) if we give them territory sufficient to shelter their activities and let down our guard after reading Sageman´s book.¤

3) Hardcover Book Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century by University of Pennsylvania Press. Marc Sageman knows jihadis first-hand. He trained Taliban for the CIA, and as a forensic psychiatrists he interviewed captured jihadis.
His comparison of the threat of local moslims in the USA and Europe is very interesting. So is his analysis of the person and his context behind the jihadi.
Sageman sees jihadis as a lunatic fringe, which should be reassuring, but is not. He proposes a US pullout from Iraq, and Israeli-Palestinian peace (keep dreaming!) as a way to de-escalate the tension between the jihadis and the US.¤

4) Hardcover Book Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century by University of Pennsylvania Press. As an officer in the Air Force and analyst for DOD, I can not say strongly enough that this book is a must read for all Americans. Sageman diligently puts together a solid argument that considers context, scientific appreciation, individual and group psychology, and Middle East conditions. This book is extremely helpful in understanding the threat of Islamic terrorism and is vital for Americans to read if we are to appreciate, as a country united, the complexities of the terrorist threat. Bottom line: the threat of terrorism is real, but the greatest threat to America is how we choose to respond to it. Although we are succeeding in killing and disrupting the bad guys, as we must, we are possibly loosing the battle in regards to Muslim perspective towards the U.S.(hearts and minds). Policy implications in the book are spot in. Great book...must read!¤

5) Hardcover Book Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century by University of Pennsylvania Press. Marc Sageman gets it. He explains in detail how the third wave of terrorists are more apt to adopt their extremist views through social discourse and the need to fit in. Many people believe that this war is ideologically based i.e. people are driven out of religious doctrine. This may hold true for the al-Qaeda leadership, who wish to return to the 6 and 700s , but for the vast majority of new internet "terrorists", they just want to be cool; they essentially want to be fearless ninjas.
That being said, I would disagree slightly with Mr. Sageman about US policy. It is true that this war can´t be continually fought with guns and tanks, but given the time-frame context of 9/11 something had to be done to wipe out training camps, safe havens, and the upper echelon leadership. Now that this has essentially (with the obvious and unfortunate exclusion of the two top tier guys) been done, it´s time to engage the Middle East with evolving tactics. Opinion polls show that folks in the Muslim Ummah admired the West for its technology and freedoms, including the right to choose leaders, but they fear western domination. It is incumbent upon our leaders to show that while extremely difficult, in the end the US as a whole are friends with Iraq and Afghanistan and we are there now to help them and to rid them of terrorist strongholds for everybody´s mutual benefit. Despite all the turmoil and destruction, roughly 50% of Iraqis feel that the US did the right thing. That is saying something considering the numbers are lower in the US and much lower in Europe; places where people have never had to really endure such hardship in the past 50 years, but are free nevertheless.¤

6) Hardcover Book Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century by University of Pennsylvania Press.

In the post-September 11 world, Al Qaeda is no longer the central organizing force that aids or authorizes terrorist attacks or recruits terrorists. It is now more a source of inspiration for terrorist acts carried out by independent local groups that have branded themselves with the Al Qaeda name. Building on his previous groundbreaking work on the Al Qaeda network, forensic psychiatrist Marc Sageman has greatly expanded his research to explain how Islamic terrorism emerges and operates in the twenty-first century.

In Leaderless Jihad, Sageman rejects the views that place responsibility for terrorism on society or a flawed, predisposed individual. Instead, he argues, the individual, outside influence, and group dynamics come together in a four-step process through which Muslim youth become radicalized. First, traumatic events either experienced personally or learned about indirectly spark moral outrage. Individuals interpret this outrage through a specific ideology, more felt and understood than based on doctrine. Usually in a chat room or other Internet-based venues, adherents share this moral outrage, which resonates with the personal experiences of others. The outrage is acted on by a group, either online or offline.

Leaderless Jihad offers a ray of hope. Drawing on historical analogies, Sageman argues that the zeal of jihadism is self-terminating; eventually its followers will turn away from violence as a means of expressing their discontent. The book concludes with Sageman´s recommendations for the application of his research to counterterrorism law enforcement efforts.

Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 28-Aug-2008, 08122406509780812240658, 990-0X0-410-870-500-171-8

Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century, Book, Image © University of Pennsylvania Press

Search: University of Pennsylvania Press, Book Posters, Book Art