This accessible and deeply informed book examines the threat that Islamic extremists pose to America and provides a balanced and nuanced discussion of the link between Iraq and the war on terror. Explaining the basics of Islam and guiding the reader through the intricacies of each significant fundamentalist group, the Palmers answer key questions: Who are the Muslim extremists and how do they fit within the broader context of the Islamic religion? What is their war plan and how do they operate? Who are their allies and what are their weaknesses? What is the experience of Israel, the Islamic world, and the United States in fighting Muslim extremists? How can they be defeated? The book includes detailed analyses of Hizbullah and the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, the Iraqi clones of Hizbullah, and the Islamic government in Turkey.
Monte Palmer is professor emeritus at Florida State University. He directed FSU's Middle East Studies Center, as well as the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. Princess Palmer is a former consultant for the World Bank.
Chapter 1: America's Struggle against Terror: Who is the Enemy?Chapter 2: Islam, Muslim Extremism, and Anti-AmericanismChapter 3: The Muslim Brotherhood and the Origin of the Radical-ModeratesChapter 4: Hamas: The Ascendance of Religious Extremism in the Arab Israeli ConflictChapter 5: Hizbullah: A Tale of Three CountriesChapter 6: Iraqi HizbullahChapter 7: Turkey: A Model for Democratic Islamic Rule?Chapter 8: The Jihadist Movement and How it EvolvedChapter 9: The Jihadist War PlanChapter 10: The Jihadist War MachineChapter 11: The Allies of the Jihadists: Those Who Make Terror PossibleChapter 12: The Israeli Struggle against Terror and Islamic Extremism: A Guide for the United StatesChapter 13: How America's Allies in the Islamic World Fight TerrorChapter 14: America, Islamic Extremism and Jihadist Terror
The authors' nuanced analysis is a welcome addition to a growing literature on political Islam. Recommended.