Review (PDF) The Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria: The History Of ISIS/ISIL
*Includes pictures *Explains the formation, influences, ideology, and goals of the group *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading Also known as ISIS, Da’esh, al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), and a host of other names, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has increasingly gained attention over the years for its brutal tactics and seemingly blatant disregard for human rights, but it has recently dominated the global media spotlight and made headlines when it attacked and seized control of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, and drove out an Iraqi army force that was more than five times its size in June 2014. It has since laid claim to various territories throughout Iraq and the Levant, and it has established operational control and maintained administrative structures on both sides of the Iraqi-Syrian border. Most recently, it declared the restoration of a caliphate and renamed itself the Islamic State. The ever-deteriorating crises in Iraq and Syria have continued to highlight the prolific activities of ISIS, but as a unified organization, ISIS is believed to consist of only a few thousand militants led by a shadowy and secretive leader named Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Nonetheless, despite its relatively small size, the group has taken on and at times successfully battled U.S. and Coalition forces, the Iraqi army, and other rival Iraqi and Syrian militant groups. The ferocity and fanaticism with which it fights, and the absolute commitment it has to the jihad in Iraq and the Levant, continue to set ISIS apart from other known terrorist organizations in the region. One of the reasons ISIS has gone by so many different names is because it has rebranded itself numerous times in the past. After starting as an al-Qaeda-inspired Sunni Islamist brigade that emerged from the ashes of the jihadist struggle against foreign forces in Iraq, the group grew into a full-fledged al-Qaeda branch, then evolved into a religiously motivated army, then finally separated from al-Qaeda to become the organization it is today. The frequent name changes are hardly cosmetic; they represent the multiple transformations the group has undergone and symbolize its flexibility and adaptability, which is also how the ISIL has not only survived for over a decade but even flourished as one of the most influential groups in the region. Today, the group attracts fighters who wish to join its ranks not just from across Iraq and the region but from all over the world. The group has also experienced many periods of withdrawal and reemergence, further confounding the true nature and structure of the organization, which has been littered with in-fighting, rivalries, and leadership shuffles. But the group’s terrorism and violent capabilities have been made quite clear in the Syrian civil war, the fighting in Iraq, and even attacks into other countries within the region. Operatives have claimed bombings and attacks in Lebanon and Jordan, and there are known recruiting cells in places as far away as Egypt, Morocco, and the U.K. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria: The History of ISIS/ISIL chronicles the birth and growth of the group, including the key figures and events that impacted its formation, as well as the ideology of the group and the historical context and environment that strengthened it. This book also looks at the various tactics and strategies the group has employed to achieve its goals and further its ideology, especially its notorious terrorist attacks. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about ISIS like never before, in no time at all.
Paperback: 52 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 8, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500443425
ISBN-13: 978-1500443429
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.1 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #824,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #129 in Books > History > Middle East > Syria #349 in Books > History > Middle East > Iraq #756 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History > Middle East
A very fast read about a new and terrifying power in Syria and Iraq. It helped me to understand the tensions between al-Qaeda and ISIS, but it reads very much like a work composed in haste -- beginning and ending abruptly. Two thirds of the work are citations to other sources, so I gather it is reliable enough. I now have a nominal understanding of what ISIS is, and what its ambitions are. But I want more than a nominal understanding - a new nation flexing its muscles with Internet broadcasts of beheadings seems like a force we all need to understand. This book did not give me what I need.
Good booklet, but missed the most important point....the genesis of Daesh / ISIS / ISIL. Paul Bremer (U.S.) disbanded the police and national guard (250,000 well paid, well trained Sunnis that protected the borders and put them out of work = no income, no ability to provide for their families), then fired the 150,000 Sunni civil servants. Then the U.S. put in power a Shia that lived for 24 years in Iran, Nouri al Maliki who oppressed and disenfranchised the Sunnis = Daesh. The U.S. was the sole creater of Daesh and it was never covered in the book.
The first 40 pages of this 68 page booklet about the latest, most fearsome threat to modern civilization grabbed me as well as any of the other studies of terrorist groups or revolutionaries that I've ever read. The next twenty pages, though, got a bit bogged down and tended towards being a yawner.I do believe the achievements by ISIS are a bit over-stated and simplistic. That is not to say the group is not a threat to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan or even to the Palestinians and Israel. Certainly, at least in the short term, it is a very real threat. If successful in overtaking the Levant and Iraq, this violent group would indeed plunge the region into the dark ages.But, only for an era. In time, their subjects will lose their fear and will rise up to force the new Islamic Crusaders (ironic term, I admit) to run for cover.So, having noted that The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria: The History of ISIS/ISIL did stimulate me to think about not only what was written, but about the logical consequences stemming from what was implied, so I have to rate it better than a 3-Star, but, honestly, cannot rate it a 5-Star.If you're looking for a quick, easy, informative read about this terrorist group that is so vicious and so domineering that Al Qaeda kicked it out of their confederation, then buy this book. Just bear in mind that the writer will scare the hell outta you, especially if you reside in the Balkans or in the Iberian Peninsula. Why? Read the book.
This book reviews ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The author discusses the rise of ISIS, how and why it emerged as a powerful terrorist organization. The group has successfully battled U.S. and Coalition forces, the Iraqi army, and other rival Iraqi and Syrian militant groups. The ferocity and fanaticism with which it fights, and the absolute commitment it has to the jihad in Iraq and the Levant, continue to set ISIS apart from other known terrorist organizations in the region.Also depicted is the shifting organization that has broken with al-Qaeda due to the continuous extreme level of violence and the flexibility and adaptability that has enabled ISIS to not only survive but even flourish as one of the most influential groups in the region. ISIS attracts fighters not just from across Iraq and the region but from all over the world.The book details the birth and growth of the group, including the key figures and events that impacted its formation, as well as the ideology of the group and the historical context and environment that strengthened it. The text is augmented with pictures and maps that give the reader context. Although a bit dated, the narrative provides background, perspective and balance that informs the reader about this very important contemporary issue.
I read this small book a couple months ago and am finally getting around to writing a review. The review is definitely brief, but I'm not sure about the conciseness because a lot seems to be missing. I think the main problem with the book is that it came out too soon and missed a lot of the current events that might've made it a better book. I tend to enjoy most of the books by Charles River Editors but am not crazy about this book.
I wanted to educate myself on ISIS. I keep hearing we armed ISIS, we've funded ISIS, Obama is to blame for ISIS, on and on and on....This little "book" is a nice intro into the topic. It doesn't delve to deeply, but gave some historical factual information to help answer some basic questions. There was no political rhetoric, blaming, or propaganda. I only wish it were longer, but this is such a new threat, there is not a lot of information, and I would rather the info be factual than speculation.Therefore the rating is for the length and lack of information not to be blamed on the writer or publisher.
While this is basically a pamphlet, it is a well-documented and fairly accurate seeming pamphlet. It focuses on the development of ISIL/S and it's relationship to both Al Qaeda In Iraq and the Syrian civil war. Key figures histories are explained as we know about them as well as the US's problematic role in both accidentally creating and fighting these ultra-Islamist movements. Very helpful but brief.
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