He is already the author of an admirable book about alqaeda and as a reporter for the observer witnessed many of the. Burke seeks to deconstruct al qaeda and challenges what he describes as the prevailing al qaedacentric focus of the war on terror. Casting a shadow of terror, says we shouldnt blame ourselves for not spotting alqaeda sooner and reminds us that, despite fighting two wars in the middle east, we really dont know what alqaeda is. Burkes book appears at first sight as a serious, scholarly, contribution to the study of al qaeda.
The best books on islamic militancy recommended by jason burke. Blurbs from gilles kepel and peter bergen support the quality of burkes work, but has the market for al. Casting a shadow of terror, the observers chief reporter, jason burke, looks at the true nature of bin ladens organisation and why the wests. Get it today with same day delivery, order pickup or drive up. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Yet within five years he had built an organisation that was to carry out the most shocking and devastating terrorist attack in history. The true story of radical islam kindle edition by burke, jason. He has written extensively on islamic extremism and, among numerous other conflicts, covered. I think the other really telling point that jason burke made in this book is that the 95% of the worlds muslims who are not islamists are the wests greatest allies in the fight against radical islam. In this revealing account, he characterizes it is a broad movement with profound roots in the politics, societies and history of the islamic world. Award winners book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new books. Yet within five years he had built an organization that was to carry out the most shocking and devastating terrorist attack in history.
The book goes in to exemplary depth and burke is obviously extremely. Only by understanding the true, complex nature of alqaeda, he argues. Jason burke is well qualified to write about what he calls the 911 wars. Casting a shadow of terror on the road to kandahar. The saudiborn islamic activist had little equipment, few followers and minimal local support. A correspondent covering africa for the guardian, he is currently based in johannesburg, having previously been based in new delhi as the same papers south asia correspondent. The true story of radical islam by jason burke 2004, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Burke writes with admirable lucidity and the benefit of his frontline reporting. Jason burke was the first commentator author journalist to actually investigate the phenomenon of radical islamic terrorism following 911 in any depth, and as far as im aware was the first person to correctly expose the structure of al qaeda as it actually existed. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading alqaeda. Jason burkes description of the structure and role that alqaeda play as being similar to that of a university or venture capital firm was absolutely brilliant. The book explores the surrounding issues which led to the al qaeda movement. Jason burke has been one of the foremost frontline reporters on islamic militancy for almost two decades, reporting from throughout the middle east and south asia.
Is it a disciplined, motivated, structured terrorist group led by a single criminal mastermind or something far more complex, diffuse and sinister. He saw many of the key events described in this book at first hand. Burke writes with admirable lucidity and the benefit of his frontline reporting and deep research. Jason burke, guardian africa correspondent and author of alqaeda. I think the other really telling point that jason burke made in this book is that the 95% of the worlds muslims who are not islamists are the wests greatest allies in the fight. Alqaeda ebook by jason burke 97801419029 rakuten kobo. Jason burke is a british journalist and the author of several nonfiction books. Burkes sophisticated view of alqaeda is convincing. Casting a shadow of terror, the observers chief reporter, jason burke, looks at the true nature of.
The true story of radical islam by jason burke penguin uk august 2004 isbn 0141019123 buy now. This is a book which will enlighten and inform all students of islamic militancy, inside and outside government, veteran or novice, the specialist and the general reader alike. Jason burke, who has written a new book which is only available in the u. One caveat to this is about the kindle edition which doesnt have an index which is a massive oversight for such a book. Jason burke, a chief reporter for the london observer who spent about four years in pakistan and afghanistan, argues that alqaida arabic for the base of operation or foundation is an overused term and mischaracterizes the nature of international terrorism.
Awardwinning reporter jason burke shows how the threat from islamic terro. The best books on osama bin laden, as recommended by one of the few reporters who met him, peter bergen. For your last choice you name jason burkes 2004 book alqaeda. The best books on osama bin laden five books expert. The author explores the complex nature of alqaeda and attempts to explain the reason for the failure of attempts to combat terrorism osama bin laden taliban jihad. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The true story of radical islam overturned a multitude of misconceptions. Religious aspects of terrorism, war on terrorism, 20012009, september 11 terrorist attacks. In the 911 wars, jason burke draws a telling contrast between two prominent acts of martyrdom that have shaken the muslim world in the past decade.
I thought this book s central thesis was that alqaeda was much more than osama. Yet within five years he had built an organization that was to carry out the most shocking and. Now a prizewinning reporter and author of a book on al qaeda, jason burke travels from the sahara to the himalayas and meets with refugees, mujahideen, and government ministers in a probing search to understand islam, and islamic radicalism, in the context of the war on terrorism. Sadly the book will be relevant for a very long time for the same reason. Jason burkes book is highly informative and very readable. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Awardwinning reporter jason burke shows how the threat from islamic terrorism comes not from a single criminal mastermind, or even from one group. Jason burke has produced a rare analysis of al qaeda and islamist militancy that allows the reader to consider the adversary from the adversarys perspective. Effectively that the autonomous nature of the doctrine is that you are in alqaeda if you say so. In the new threat,burke shows how most extremists today who have been inspired by isis or alqaeda may have had cursory contact with some peripheral part of these two organizations. The author asserts that the united states focus on alqaida 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. And it shows how some news medias attempt to simplify the threat by trying to link all attacks and plots to al qaeda is plain wrong.
The best books on islamic militancy five books expert. Travels through conflict in the islamic world by jason burke. Casting a shadow of terror is a 2003 book by jason burke about the history and goals of osama bin ladens alqaeda and a loose amalgam of. 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 prizewinning journalist jason burkes alqaeda now updated with new material on iraq, afghanistan and the july 2005 london bombings is acknowledged to be the most accurate.
Casting a shadow of terror by jason burke world news. Now a prizewinning reporter and author of a book on al qaeda, jason burke travels from the sahara to the himalayas and meets with refugees, mujahideen, and government ministers in a probing search to understand islam, and islamic radicalism, in the. Al qaeda the mere mention of al qaeda conjures images of an efficient terrorist network guided by a powerful criminal mastermind. Burke demonstrates that in fact alqaeda is merely a convenient label applied by the west to a far broader and thus more dangerous phenomenon of islamic militancy, and shows how eradicating a single figure or group will do nothing to combat terrorism. Read alqaeda the true story of radical islam by jason burke available from rakuten kobo. Jason burke is the prizewinning chief reporter for the observer, london.
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. Burkes conclusion is that the mainstream appeal of alqaeda as doctorine is that it relates to personal experience and offers an action to theory. In his years of journalism, burke has addressed a wide range of topics including politics, social affairs and culture in europe and the middle east. Jason burke has done a great service to us all by writing this book in such a clear and measured tone.
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