The Islamic State

The Islamic State

The Islamic State

An authoritative guide to the rise of the Islamic State and its senior leadership. How did the Islamic State grow from regional terrorist group to a brutal multinational bureaucratic machine? What are its goals? How can it be stopped? In 2014 the Islamic State seemingly appeared out of nowhere, routing Iraqi forces, conquering Iraq's second-largest city, boldly announcing the establishment of a caliphate, and declaring itself the Islamic State (IS). Today, IS controls thousands of square miles and is attempting to govern millions of people. In this definitive guide to the Islamic State and its senior leadership, Charles R. Lister traces its roots from the release of its notorious father figure, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, from a Jordanian prison and the group's formation in Afghanistan in the late-1990s, and finally to its stunning maturation in Iraq and Syria. The West knows IS through its unrelenting propaganda war, with its deft use of social media and videos of horrific acts. Lister shares details of IS's sophisticated revenue machine, attempts at governing, and its formidable military. With IS knocking on the doors of Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, Lister's portrait helps us understand what to expect next and recommends a course of action to defeat IS, extinguish extremism, and encourage a tolerant Islam across the Middle East. This book includes a Who's Who in the Islamic State's senior leadership. From the foreword by Ahmed Rashid ""The Islamic State is the best basic understanding available of the ISIS phenomena and how to deal with it.""

The Islamic State

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the history of the Islamic State in next to no time with this concise guide. 50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of the history of the Islamic State. The brutal terror attacks in Paris in 2015 sent shockwaves across Europe. The group which claimed responsibility for them, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, has been active since 2006 and seeks to impose its radical and distorted version of Islam across the Middle East. The international coalition established to combat the organisation has made some significant advances, but the fight against fundamentalism is still far from over. In just 50 minutes you will: • Understand the history of the Islamic State and the events leading up to its foundation, including colonial rule and the regime of Saddam Hussein • Learn about the key figures in the organisation, including current leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi • Evaluate the successes and failures of the coalition fighting against the Islamic State ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | History & Culture 50MINUTES.COM will enable you to quickly understand the main events, people, conflicts and discoveries from world history that have shaped the world we live in today. Our publications present the key information on a wide variety of topics in a quick and accessible way that is guaranteed to save you time on your journey of discovery.