Leadership in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Abstract
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) core leadership is a centralized bureaucracy that fuses Salafi cultural and social capital with Ba'athist expertise and network access. This combination enables ISIL to link tactical and strategic goals through the unification of ideology with practical leadership, resulting in an effective, durable organization. ISIL may appear to be a purely religious movement, but in reality its leadership is a combination of former Ba'ath party officials and Salafi ideologues. This gives the group and effective local strategy, through the Ba'athists, along with a compelling global narrative, through the Salafis. As an organization, ISIL is very centralized, hierarchical, and bureaucratic. It demonstrates high levels of trust and cohesion: local commanders remain loyal while making decisions independent of ISIL's core leadership. The Taliban from 1994-2001 serves as a useful comparative case study. It too was centralized under a single ideology and core of leadership represented by Mullah Muhammed Omar. It endured several severe setbacks yet still managed achieve political control over most of Afghanistan. Through a comparative analysis, the Taliban and eighteen other historical case studies aid in understanding what makes certain violent extremist organizations endure, succeed, and fail.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 29, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1175862
Entities
People
- Craig A. Giorgis
Organizations
- Marine Corps University