Jan 12, 2010 the qaeda virus which has been present in yemen since 1992, when qaeda members bombed a hotel in aden where american troops had been staying on their way to somalia is the problem for yemen, not. For a really illuminating account of that loose network of networks generically called al qaeda this is considered by many as the most trustworthy and lucid work. If the good news is that al qaida as we knew it does not exist, writes burke, the bad news is that the threat now facing the world is far more dangerous than any single terrorist leader with an. Burke is convincing in his arguments that alqaeda the actual organisation was never more than a hardcore of twenty or thirty militants, was not more than indirectly associated with many of the terrorist acts attributed to them, and was dispersed, incapacitated and in large part eliminated after the war in afghanistan. Buy inside alqaeda and the taliban book online at low. The definitive work on al qaeda, this book is based on five years of research, including extensive interviews with its. The lashkar al zil or shadow army also known as jaish al usrah, or the army of the protective shield is a paramilitary organization linked to al qaeda and descended from the 055 brigade. Jul, 2017 al qaeda may indeed be in decline, but the evidence strongly suggests otherwise. The lashkar alzil or shadow army is a paramilitary organization linked to al qaeda and descended from the 055 brigade. According to the long war journal, the 055 brigade has been reestablished as part of the talibans lashkar al zil or shadow army. While it is certainly good to see al qaeda s shadow army finally getting the press it deserves particularly as the debate over al qaeda s involvement in afghanistan is raging and will shape future policy it would be nice to see lwj get proper credit for its contributions. Rashid has done a fairly good amount of research on the taliban and its style of rule. Al qaeda has reestablished the predominantly arab and asian paramilitary formation that was formerly known as brigade 055 into a larger, more effective fighting unit known as the lashkar al zil, or shadow army, a senior us.
As such, here are a number of books designed to help shed some light on these critical issues du jour. Al qaeda has reorganized its notorious paramilitary formations that were devastated during the us invasion of afghanistan in 2001 and 2002. Yet within five years he had built an organization that was to carry out the most shocking and devastating terrorist attack in history. The best books on alqaeda recommended by peter taylor. By 2008 chad rickard was a decorated multitour iraq war veteran with hundreds of combat missions under his belt. Us airstrikes kill al qaeda affiliated terrorist in. The awardwinning bbc documentary maker tells us what hes learned in 10 years investigating alqaeda, and suggests what we should read to understand where the group came from, and what its still trying to do. Al qaeda terrorists lurk in shadows in afghanistan, waiting for u. In 1998, al qaeda leader osama bin laden declared that acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction wmd. Al qaeda defector al fadl, who was a former member of qatar charity, testified in court that abdullah mohammed yusef, who served as qatar charitys director, was affiliated to al qaeda and simultaneously to the national islamic front, a political group that gave al qaeda leader osama bin laden harbor in sudan in the early 1990s. Casting a shadow of terror, the observers chief reporter, jason burke, looks at the true nature of bin ladens organisation and why the wests misunderstanding of the broad and diverse phenomenon of modern islamic militancy undermines its response to terrorism. This book deserves appreciation for its minute accounts of the happenings in afghanistan under the taliban. Al qaedas paramilitary shadow army fdds long war journal. Al qaeda has reestablished the predominantly arab and asian paramilitary formation that was formerly known as brigade 055 into a larger, more effective fighting unit known as the lashkar al zil, or shadow army, a senior us intelligence official told the.
Inside al qaeda examines the leadership, ideology, structure, strategies, and tactics of the most violent politicoreligious organization the world has ever seen. Sampling from actual alqaeda texts, this is alqaeda in its own words, rather than another interpretation which often emphasizes the inflammatory religious rhetoric offered by the bush administration and other factions of the western world. He was the first to interview leading commanders of al qaeda s socalled shadow army, including siraj haqqani leader of the haqqani network, ilyas kashmiri leader of brigade 3, mullah nazir south waziristan, and qari ziaur rahman kunarnuristanbajaur, and countless others. Al qaeda is operating a shadow army inside afghanistan to conceal its numbers and the scope of its operations, while the taliban is on the verge of major resurgence as u. While the book is well informed by al qaeda and taliban. At least, it comes closest to the sense of alqaeda that ive arrived at after a lot of library research. Syed saleem shahzad asia times online published some of the best and most insightful articles on terrorism in the past decade.
The book is an unintended indictment of us military and diplomatic officials who insisted on the surge and extensive operations in the flatlands of helmand province while most of al qaeda and the taliban leadership stayed in the mountains through which the durand line passes. As the us prepares to withdraw its troops from afghanistan, the al qaeda is reportedly operating a shadow army inside the country to keep its numbers and scope of operations under wraps. On a hot summers day in 1996 a plane carrying osama bin laden and a few friends and family landed just outside the eastern afghan city of jalalabad. Al qaeda is responsible for many attacks throughout the world with its extensive and effective networks. Army, and served multiple tours of duty in iraq in positions. Buy inside alqaeda and the taliban book online at best prices in india on. He was the first to interview leading commanders of al qaedas socalled shadow army, including siraj haqqani leader of the haqqani network, ilyas kashmiri leader of brigade 3. Al qaeda operating shadow army in afghanistan as us troops. The interrogators by chris mackey and greg miller is a first person account of army interrogators just after september 11.
Jul, 2017 divisions weaken the umma, thus al qaeda rejects state nationalism and judging the purity of muslims, especially when facing a common enemy. The author asserts that the united states focus on al qaida is ultimately a waste of time, saying that the west must instead win the hearts and minds of the islamic world to effectively counter terrorism. William dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan books the. Jul 07, 2005 the us invasion largely put paid to that presence, though the countrys former al qaeda allied rulers, the taleban, remain active in parts of the country. Al qaedas shadow army makes the news fdds long war journal. Raymond ibrahim is a historian of the middle east and islam. Freedom, 2001 war on terrorism, 20012009 counterinsurgency. What to read on bin laden and al qaeda foreign affairs. Al qaeda was behind the attack, and we were now at war. Shrouded as he was for a decade in an apparent cloak of anonymity and obscurity, osama bin laden was by no means an invisible man. Al qaeda is an international terrorist organization, which was formed in august 1988. Al qaeda reforms shadow army 10 feb 2009 our friend bill roggio with the long war journal has a fantastic piece of breaking news and followup analysis on the regeneration of al qaeda s shock.
As discussed in greater detail elsewhere in this book, alqaedas sanctu. Al qaeda has reestablished the predominantly arab and asian paramilitary formation that was formerly known as brigade 055 into a larger, more effective fighting unit known as the lashkar al zil, or shadow army, a senior us intelligence official told the long war journal. After seven years of reading books and articles about alqaeda and violent political islamists, i might just now have read the best book of the bunch. Now, for the first time, the al qaeda reader gathers together the essential texts and documents that trace the origin, history, and evolution of the ideas of al qaeda founders ayman al zawahiri and osama bin laden. Yet these are important topics which affects us all. Terrorist groups, such as alqaeda and islamic state of iraq and syria isis. Army, air force, marines, and navy, in a masterful display of joint operations and in concert with our afghan allies, overthrew the taliban regime and drove the terrorist al qaeda into worldwide flight. Al qaeda trained terrorists that were linked to the 1996 car bombings of the u.
Abdullah said, the commander of the lashkar al zil, or the shadow army, released a statement concerning the status of the fight in afghanistan. Feb 25, 2008 the real issue is the hardest to determine. This book is very good, i found it extremely entertaining. A survey of books about osama bin laden and al qaeda the. The book is written from army reserve sergeant mackeys perspective and through his eyes we learn about some of the training interrogators go through and then their experience in afghanistan. List of books and articles about al qaeda online research. Dec 05, 2017 top al qaeda leader reported killed in afghanistan in u. This is an incomplete list of books about al qaeda. Jul 12, 2003 in this extract from his new book, al qaeda. It talks, obviously, mostly about isis, but it does so in a way that incorporates its entire history, including when it. Al qaedas paramilitary shadow army shadowspear special.
The longest war also draws on these interviews and looks at al qaeda after 911, but most of the text focuses on u. The best books on alqaeda five books expert recommendations. Zuhaib al zahibi, a commander in al qaeda s shadow army, or the lashkar al zil, was among seven arab foreigners and nine taliban fighters killed in one of two airstrikes in the datta khel region in north waziristan, a senior us military intelligence official told the long war journal. From the negative feedback i have seen, i think most people were anticipating it to be a reference style of book that tells all in one volume. The al qaeda ization of the taliban can be seen most distinctly in the increasing prominence of lashkar al zil, the elite shadow army comprising a mix of al qaeda foreigners and taliban natives that has carried out many recent successful attacks on nato forces and pakistani army units. Apr, 2009 the new commander of al qaedas paramilitary forces that operate in pakistan and afghanistan laid out al qaeda and the talibans strategy to defeat the coalition and afghan government.
The 055 brigade was founded by bin laden in afghanistan in 1996. In arabic, it is simply an abstract noun, meaning resource, network or base. Al qaedas leadership statements, its stated objectives and strategy to achieve these objectives, and its adaptations to new conditions lead to a different assessment. Jan 18, 2012 links between the taliban and al qaeda were retained in the face of a shared enemy following the invasion of afghanistan after the september 11 attacks, an adversary that was selected by al qaeda rather than by the taliban, and which led the latter to become entangled in a war that was not of its choosing.
List of books and articles about taliban online research. And even if it is degraded, given enough time, will al qaeda be able to regroup and ramp up its operational capability. Lez is well trained and well equipped and has successfully defeated the pakistani army in multiple engagements. Al qaedas paramilitary shadow army pakistan defence. He was ubiquitous and palpable, both in a physical and a cyberspectral form, to the extent that his death took on something of the feel of an exorcism. But very little surfaces about a festering insurgency that has been on the go for six years in west africa under the acronym of aqim, or al qaeda in the islamic maghreb. Afghanistan is at risk of becoming once again a haven for al qaeda to train. Al qaedas shadow army commander outlines afghan strategy. Al qaeda shadow army commander killed in us strike fdds. The political communication of alqaeda and islamic state. The al qaeda diaries as the pakistani soldiers moved into south waziristan, they found something almost as valuable as al qaeda itself.
This organization is considered as a top threat for the world super power united states of america. In the west, it symbolises the greatest threat to global security. The awardwinning bbc documentary maker tells us what hes learned in 10 years investigating al qaeda, and suggests what we should read to understand where the group came from, and what its still trying to do. The document, which has since been described by the fbi as the. The two airstrikes took place near qunyo barrow, somalia. The true story of radical islam shows islamic militancy to be a far broader phenomenon than previously thought, demolishing the myths that underpin the war on terror. Funding for this book was made possible by rands investment in. According to syed saleem shahzad, it comprises the pakistani taliban, 3 brigade, the afghan taliban, hezbeislami afghanistan and former iraqi republican guards.
Al qaeda, in the narrative, is so weakened that it can barely stay alive, let alone carry out successful and complex attacks like that in benghazi. Some al qaeda trained fighters are thought to have been dispersed perhaps to regroup in other fields of combat, such as saudi arabia. Al qaeda is operating a shadow army inside afghanistan to conceal its numbers and the scope of its operations, while the taliban is on the. Its often overwhelming and difficult to pinpoint exactly whats going on, why, where, when and with whom. That same year he issued a declaration of war against the united states. May 02, 2011 since 911, theres been an outpouring of books about osama bin laden, al qaeda, the september 11th attacks and the war in afghanistan. The shadow army has a clearcut military structure, a u. Al qaeda al qaeda training manual inside the terror.
Pdf from jihad to alqaeda to islamic state researchgate. He works for the near east section of the african and middle eastern division of the library of congress, where he discovered many of the neverbeforetranslated arabic texts that make up the bulk of the alqaeda reader. Written in an engaging prose, this history of the emergence and evolution of present day islamic radicalism is really unputdownable. Top alqaeda leader reported killed in afghanistan in u. Afghan operation afghan police special forces demonstrate their skills during an exercise in the mohammad agha district of logar province. The saudiborn islamic activist had little equipment, few followers and minimal local support.
Which books should i read to understand the history of al. May 06, 2016 in afghanistan, alqaeda is working more closely with the taliban, pentagon says afghan national army soldiers arrive to start an operation outside of kunduz, afghanistan. And his unfearful description of the intensive involvement of pakistans army and isi in afghanistan is reflective of a true journalistic spirit. Insurgencies in iraq, afghanistan, syria, yemen and elsewhere the majority linked to al qaeda are in the news on an almost daily basis. Zahibi was a general officerequivalent in the shadow army, a us. Oct 05, 2012 shadow government al qaedas resurgence.
Alqaeda is now the most overused and misunderstood term in the media. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He was a seasoned infantryman and senior army nco with a burning desire to deploy to afghanistan and join the fight against taliban and al qaeda forces bent on keeping american influence out of the middle east. Al qaeda seeks to eradicate the nation as a primary form of identity for muslims because al qaeda saw nationalism as part of the failure of the mujahideen in the 1990s in algeria, tunisia, libya, and egypt. Like other totalitarian movements, the movements leaders have rationalized their brutality in a number of published treatises. The alqaedaization of the taliban can be seen most distinctly in the increasing prominence of lashkaralzil, the elite shadow army comprising a mix of alqaeda foreigners and taliban natives that has carried out many recent successful attacks on. Countering radicalization and recruitment to alqaeda jstor. The following excerpts are from a document found by the police in manchester, england, during a search of an al qaeda members home. On a hot summers day in 1996 a plane carrying osama bin laden and a few friends and family landed at a runway just outside the eastern afghan city of jalalabad. This approach makes for a harder read but allows the different views of bin laden and al qaedas history to shine forth, helping the reader understand the organizations complexity. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. Lashkarezil lez is the paramilitary special forces branch of alqaedas base. Here is an annotated list of some of the more useful books on those subjects.
There is a lot of information out there in regards to isis, al qaeda and terrorism. Casting a shadow of terror, the observers chief reporter, jason burke, looks at the true nature of bin ladens organisation and why the wests. Is al qaeda prime not al qaeda enthusiasts or sympathizers who are able to carry out local suicide bombings, but the capable covert operatives we saw on 911 still operational. Beyond bin laden and 911 1 by shahzad, syed saleem isbn. Feb 15, 2009 al qaedas paramilitary shadow army by bill roggiofebruary 9, 2009 1. But very little surfaces about a festering insurgency that has been on the go for six years in west afr. Africa command africom started off the month with two airstrikes on al shabaab terrorists on monday, killing one terrorist and wounding two others. Mar 27, 20 william dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan from 16thcentury mughal rulers, to daring victorian spies and todays taliban, the travel writer and historian picks his favourites from a rich. Our actions in afghanistan dramatically demonstrated the reach of. Despite heavy media coverage, most people are unaware of the groups ultimate goals. Us airstrikes kill al qaeda affiliated terrorist in somalia, wound 2 others.
Army special operations soldiers and their actions in afghanistan is an important contribution to understanding how these unique individuals removed the taliban from power and destroyed al qaeda and taliban strongholds in afghanistan as part of the us global war on terrorism. The united states army war college educates and develops leaders for service at the strategic. Confronting violent nonstate actors, the 55th arab brigade was a mechanized unit. Insurgencies in iraq, afghanistan, syria, yemen and elsewherethe majority linked to al qaeda are in the news on an almost daily basis. Taliban governs afghanistan from the shadows by mike mount, cnn senior pentagon producer when u.
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