ISIS: A History
4.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
An authoritative introduction to ISIS, from a leading authority on jihadism
The Islamic State has stunned the world with its savagery, destructiveness, and military and recruiting successes. What explains the rise of ISIS and what does it portend for the future of the Middle East? In this book, one of the world's leading authorities on political Islam and jihadism sheds new light on these questions as he provides a unique history of the rise and growth of ISIS. Moving beyond journalistic accounts, Fawaz Gerges provides a clear and compelling account of the deeper conditions that fuel ISIS.
The book describes how ISIS emerged in the chaos of Iraq following the 2003 U.S. invasion, how the group was strengthened by the suppression of the Arab Spring and by the war in Syria, and how ISIS seized leadership of the jihadist movement from Al Qaeda. Part of a militant Sunni revival, ISIS claims its goals are to resurrect a caliphate and rid "Islamic lands" of all Shia and other minorities. In contrast to Al Qaeda, ISIS initially focused on the "near enemy"—Shia, the Iraqi and Syrian regimes, and secular, pro-Western states in the Middle East. But in a tactical shift ISIS has now taken responsibility for spectacular attacks in Europe and other places beyond the Middle East, making it clear that the group is increasingly interested in targeting the "far enemy" as well. Ultimately, the book shows how decades of dictatorship, poverty, and rising sectarianism in the Middle East, exacerbated by foreign intervention, led to the rise of ISIS—and why addressing those problems is the only way to ensure its end.
An authoritative introduction to arguably the most important conflict in the world today, this is an essential book for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the social turmoil and political violence ravaging the Arab-Islamic world.
Fawaz A. Gerges
Fawaz A. Gerges is a professor of Middle Eastern Politics and International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he is chair of the Middle East Centre. He was a senior ABC television news analyst from 2000 until 2007 and has been a guest on Charlie Rose, Oprah, ABC Nightline, and other prominent shows. He is the author of Obama and the Middle East. He has contributed pieces to The New York Times, The Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Middle East Journal, Al Mustaqbal al-Arabi, and many others. He lives in London.
Read more from Fawaz A. Gerges
Making the Arab World: Nasser, Qutb, and the Clash That Shaped the Middle East Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Obama and the Middle East: The End of America's Moment? Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5ISIS: A History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to ISIS
Related ebooks
The Wahhabi Code: How the Saudis Spread Extremism Globally Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Secret History of the Iraq War Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Defeating ISIS: Who They Are, How They Fight, What They Believe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Inside Al-Shabaab: The Secret History of Al-Qaeda's Most Powerful Ally Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jihad and the West: Black Flag over Babylon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnholy Alliance: The Agenda Iran, Russia, and Jihadists Share for Conquering the World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Hunting the Caliphate: America's War on ISIS and the Dawn of the Strike Cell Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How Iran Fuels Syria War: Details of the IRGC Command HQ and Key Officers in Syria Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Rise of Islamic State: ISIS and the New Sunni Revolution Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Truth about Syria Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Oil Kings: How the U.S., Iran, and Saudi Arabia Changed the Balance of Power in the Middle East Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Death of the Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Evolution of the Global Terrorist Threat: From 9/11 to Osama bin Laden's Death Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSyria, Iran, and Hezbollah: The Unholy Alliance and Its War on Lebanon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVoices from Iraq: A People's History, 2003–2009 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5And Then All Hell Broke Loose: Two Decades in the Middle East Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Iran Rising: The Survival and Future of the Islamic Republic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Inside the Middle East: Making Sense of the Most Dangerous and Complicated Region on Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Devil's Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror (Updated Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Osama bin Laden I Know: An Oral History of al Qaeda's Leader Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Understanding Iran: Everything You Need to Know, From Persia to the Islamic Republic, From Cyrus to Khamenei Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Arab Winter: A Tragedy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Political Ideologies For You
Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A People's History of the United States Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Capitalism and Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gulag Archipelago [Volume 1]: An Experiment in Literary Investigation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Communist Manifesto: Original Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Quest for Cosmic Justice Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The January 6th Report Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Anarchist Cookbook Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The U.S. Constitution with The Declaration of Independence and The Articles of Confederation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Great Reset: And the War for the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mein Kampf: English Translation of Mein Kamphf - Mein Kampt - Mein Kamphf Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blackout: How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape from the Democrat Plantation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Great Awakening: Defeating the Globalists and Launching the Next Great Renaissance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gulag Archipelago: The Authorized Abridgement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Psychology of Totalitarianism Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Get Trump: The Threat to Civil Liberties, Due Process, and Our Constitutional Rule of Law Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/525 Lies: Exposing Democrats’ Most Dangerous, Seductive, Damnable, Destructive Lies and How to Refute Them Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector's Search for Freedom in America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why We're Polarized Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for ISIS
3 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Very informative book. I admit being very confused about the past and current conflicts in the Middle East. The author did a good job presenting the data in a succinct manner, and I appreciate his objective inferences about the significance of certain events. I honestly will read this book again to better grasp the information.