Analysis of the Sources of Islamic Extremism
Abstract
The United States is a nation at war. The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 were the catalyst that brought the United States to this war: the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). However, U.S. and coalition responses to Islamic extremism since 9/11 have not prevailed; in some cases, they have exacerbated the problem of Islamic radicalization even further. It is increasingly clear that understanding the root causes of Islamic extremism is critically important to designing a viable long-term strategy to counter or eliminate them. This thesis seeks to answer the following question: has "The National Security Strategy of the United States of America March 2006" properly identified the sources of Islamic extremism? The National Security Strategy identifies four sources of Islamic extremism which lead to acts of terrorism: political alienation, grievances that can be blamed on others, subcultures of conspiracy and misinformation, and an ideology that justifies murder. The strategy also de-emphasizes four areas that are typically cited as sources of Islamic extremism: poverty, U.S. policy in Iraq, Israeli-Palestinian issues, and U.S. counterterrorism efforts. In answering the primary question, the thesis considers multiple perspectives, including those of the U.S. Government, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, Islamic experts, and Islamic extremists themselves. What do these organizations and individuals identify as the sources of Islamic extremism? The entities surveyed included the White House, 9/11 Commission, National Intelligence Council, Department of State, Department of Defense, United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Group, International Crisis Group, RAND Corporation, Center for Strategic and International Studies, historian Bernard Lewis, Islamic expert John Esposito, Taqi ad-Din Ahmed Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328), Hassan Al-Banna (1906-1949), Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966), and Usama bin Laden (1957--).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 15, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA471870
Entities
People
- John D. Johnson
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College