Suchergebnisse

The emergence of the major transnational terrorist movement called Al Qaeda became possible first and foremost because of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. A local peasant rebellion against the radical left wing regime in a faraway country was immediately transformed into jihad, a real crusade against the invading "infidels". What followed was the gradual evolution of an insignificant group of young volunteers from the Arab countries who soon became the nucleus of a powerful global movement challenging the Western world. Bin Laden's motto was: "After overcoming one superpower we will deal with another one". The large scale terrorist campaign culminated in the 9/11 terrorist action called "the Manhatten operation" by its perpetrators. Summing up the results of the jihadists' activities, the author comes to the conclusion that the terrorist network is probably in the initial stage of decline due not only to the leaders' death but also to its failure to mobilize the world of Islam under its banner.

The 2011 Arab uprisings began in North Africa and toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Libya, but the forces that wreaked this profound change also touched their fellow Maghreb states of Algeria and Morocco. This Adelphi book examines how the politics, security and economies – which were largely stable for decades prior to 2011 – have changed in the four states. It asks why the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Libya did not spread to Algeria and Morocco; how the revolutionary states have fared since 2011; why Libya descended into a deadly civil war while the others did not; and whether the sitting governments in Algeria and Morocco have applied sustainable strategies to address the new political climate.

The 2011 Arab uprisings began in North Africa and toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Libya, but the forces that wreaked this profound change also touched their fellow Maghreb states of Algeria and Morocco. This Adelphi book examines how the politics, security and economies – which were largely stable for decades prior to 2011 – have changed in the four states. It asks why the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Libya did not spread to Algeria and Morocco; how the revolutionary states have fared since 2011; why Libya descended into a deadly civil war while the others did not; and whether the sitting governments in Algeria and Morocco have applied sustainable strategies to address the new political climate.

How has the invasion of Iraq influenced global jihadist ideology? Based on primary sources in Arabic, this article highlights important ideological changes; Iraq is considered a crossroads in the global jihad against the "Crusaders." New strategic dilemmas have caused divisions
among militants, and Iraq's attractiveness has undermined other battlefronts. A new "strategic studies" genre has emerged in jihadist literature. Countries in Europe and the Gulf are increasingly highlighted as enemies and potential targets.