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| Author: | Marcia L. Sprules, Deputy Director |
|---|
November 1, 2005
Library Journal Reviews
"Gerges, Fawaz A. The Far Enemy: Why JIHAD Went Global. Cambridge Univ. 2005. c.256p. ISBN 0-521-79140-5.
Gerges (Middle Eastern studies, Sarah Lawrence Coll.; America and Political Islam ) is well known for his expert media commentary on the Middle East. This book differs from many others on the topics of Islam and jihad in its assertion that only a small percentage of jihadists are concerned with international issues. Most are religious nationalists concerned with ending secularization in their own country and, possibly, replacing corrupt leaders. In the mid-1990s a few jihadists, flush with success after ousting the Soviet Union from Afghanistan and irate at the presence of U.S. troops on holy ground in Saudi Arabia, changed their emphasis and began to confront other enemies outside their own country. The most visible action of these few, on September 11, 2001, is not supported by most other jihadist groups. The author bases his conclusions on extensive interviews with many individuals in the region and on documents he refers to that were issued by jihad leaders. These documents in their entirety, however, will be familiar only to other specialists; many are not translated into English. These limitations make it difficult to validate a thesis that is opposite to the usual commentary. The treatment of the topic makes this work most suitable for academic collections."
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