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Radical Islam
Current Issues - LHS
What is Radical Islam?
∆ Conflict between modernism, traditionalism– Modernism: western
industrialization, commercialism
– Traditionalism: return to “glory days” of world dominated by Islam
– Radical Islamists believe that people who intro western ways are evil or the enemy (infection of Islam)
∆ Muslim governments may be the enemy, too if they adopt Western ways
Historical Origin
∆ First arose after WWI, in Egypt– Muslim Brotherhood – armed
resistance vs. Brits– Advocated jihad vs. West,
secular Muslim governments
∆ 1969 – Qadaffi took power in Libya thru a coup– To hold power, he appealed
to regular people as a radical Islamist
– Used oil wealth to fund terror network to attack West
Historical Origins
∆ Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew Iran’s secular gov’t, establishing an Islamist Republic– Sharia law enforced– Seized 52 American
Embassy workers as hostages (held 444 days)
– US released $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets in exchange for hostages
Asymmetric Warfare: The Rise of Islamist Terrorism
∆ Problem: Confronting the West
∆ Question: How could the Islamists hope to challenge the military strength of the Americans (and, for a while, Soviets)?
Asymmetric Warfare
∆ Two sides in conflict that have vastly different capabilities
∆ Weaker side resorts to novel strategies to “even the odds”
∆ One strategy = terrorism
Terrorism
∆ Systematic use of fear, especially as a means of coercion, against non-combatants (civilians) to achieve an ideological goal
Why is Terrorism so Effective?
∆ “Uncivilized” way of fighting
∆ Targets civilians∆ Incomprehensible to
West (cultural differences)– Value of human life– Relative importance of
religion
Notable Terrorist Attacks
∆ Lebanon, 1982: Bombing of US marines barracks in Beirut (242)
∆ Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988: Midair bombing / destruction of Pan Am flight 103 (259)
Notable Terrorist Attacks
∆ 1989: Ayatollah Khomeni issued Fatwa (decree) ordering death of Salman Rushdie– Rushdie went into
hiding– Fatwa triggered
worldwide attacks on bookstores, newsstands, etc
Notable Terrorist Attacks
∆ New York City, 1993: Bombing of WTC, killing 6 / injuring 1000
∆ Yemen, 2000: USS Cole attack (37 sailors)
The Rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda
∆ Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, 1979-1989– Cold War context– CIA poured US
dollars, weapons to support mujahedeen (holy warriors) fighting against Soviets
Rise of Taliban
∆ 1992 – mujahedeen take over country from Soviet backed gov’t– Various other muj.
groups continued to fight in country
– Central gov’t was very weak
– 1994 – Taliban were religious students who had fought against Soviets
Rise of Taliban
∆ 1994-96: Taliban fought against other muj. groups, took over country
∆ Instituted strict sharia legal system including floggings, public executions– Effect on women
(leaving home, work, no school; punishment for nail polish)
– Effect on men (beards)
Rise of Al-Qaeda
∆ Founded in 1988 at end of Soviet invasion
∆ Umbrella group that coordinated, funded different Islamist terrorist groups
∆ Est. training camps in Afghanistan (guerrilla tactics, bomb making)
Rise of Al-Qaeda
∆ Goals of Al-Qaeda– Overthrow secular
Muslim gov’ts (esp Saudi Arabian gov’t)
– Support radical Islamist movements around world
– Encourage rise of worldwide Islamic Caliphate
Osama bin Laden
∆ Son of Saudi Arabian millionaire
∆ Educated as civil engineer or public admin, in Saudi Arabia
∆ Fought with muj in Afghanistan
∆ Funded training camps in Afghanistan for muj
∆ Helped supply radical Islamist groups around world
∆ Leader of Al-Qaeda since 1998
∆ Killed in raid in Pakistan, 2011