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