Islamic State

The Digital Caliphate

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Pub Date Sep 08 2015 | Archive Date Feb 01 2016

Description

Islamic State stunned the world when it overran an area the size of Great Britain on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border in a matter of weeks and proclaimed the birth of a new Caliphate. In this timely and important book, Abdel Bari Atwan draws on his unrivaled knowledge of the global jihadi movement and Middle Eastern geopolitics to reveal the origins and modus operandi of Islamic State.

Based on extensive field research and exclusive interviews with IS insiders, Islamic State outlines the group's leadership structure, as well as its strategies, tactics, and diverse methods of recruitment. Atwan traces the Salafi-jihadi lineage of IS, its ideological differences with al Qaeda and the deadly rivalry that has emerged between their leaders. He also shows how the group's rapid growth has been facilitated by its masterful command of social media platforms, the "dark web," Hollywood blockbuster-style videos, and even jihadi computer games, producing a powerful paradox where the ambitions of the Middle Ages have reemerged in cyberspace.

As Islamic State continues to dominate the world's media headlines with horrific acts of ruthless violence, Atwan considers the movement's chances of survival and expansion and offers indispensable insights on potential government responses to contain the IS threat.

Islamic State stunned the world when it overran an area the size of Great Britain on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border in a matter of weeks and proclaimed the birth of a new Caliphate. In this...


Advance Praise

"Abdel Bari Atwan is one of the leading analysts in the world on the modern Middle East. In his new book on ISIS he delivers a uniquely informed, crisply argued, and excellent account of the world's most powerful terrorist organization."—Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad

"This is a brave and important book. It lifts the lid on how Islamic State combines an ideology of 1,000 years ago with the use of twenty-first-century information technology to spread its messages. If you want to understand what motivates those prepared to behead hostages and post the results on the internet, then this book is a must-read."—Gavin Esler, award-winning BBC presenter and author

"Atwan ‘got it’ from the moment bin Laden appeared on the scene."—Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA bin Laden "Alec" unit

"Abdel Bari Atwan is one of the leading analysts in the world on the modern Middle East. In his new book on ISIS he delivers a uniquely informed, crisply argued, and excellent account of the world's...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9780520289284
PRICE $24.95 (USD)

Average rating from 3 members