Violent Radical Movements in the Arab World: The Ideology and Politics of Non-State Actors

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Violent non-state actors have become almost endemic to political movements in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. This book examines why they play such a key role and the different ways in which they have developed. Placing them in the context of the region, separate chapters cover the organizations that are currently active, including: The Muslim Brotherhood, The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, Hamas, Hizbullah, al-Shabab and the Huthis. The book shows that while these groups are at once a new phenomenon, they also relate to the other key factors including the ‘unfinished business’ of the colonial and postcolonial eras and tacit encouragement of the Wahhabi/Salafi/jihadi da’wa by some regional powers . Their diversity means violent non-state actors elude simple classification, ranging from ‘national’, ‘transnational’, religious and political movements. Yet by examining their origins, their supporters and their motivations, this book help explain their ubiquity in the region. Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Contributors Preface Foreword: Peter Sluglett and the Study of the Modern Middle East Introduction: Violent Non-State Actors in the Arab World – Some General Considerations The colonial context Independence movements and the post-colonial state in the Middle East Challenges to absolute state power Violent challenges to the state 1 The Muslim Brotherhood and Violence: Porous Boundaries and Context Introduction Porous boundaries vs context The Ikhwan’s foundational ambiguities Ambiguities in action: al-Nizam al-Khass Qutb: the never fading impact Context controls porous boundaries 2 Understanding ISIS: The Interplay between Ideology and Context Introduction The historical context Structural and cultural violence Radicalism vs terrorism: a paradigm shift Conclusion 3 Between Religion, Warfare and Politics: The Case of Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria The origins of al-Nusra as an imported phenomenon: its ideological and regional roots Al-Nusra’s ‘moderate’ strategy: hitting the ‘near enemy’, obtaining local support and rooting into the society Military tactics, weaponry and political strategies Leadership and hierarchy Territorial control: al-Nusra’s policy towards local populations International support and al-Nusra’s integration in the regional game Relations with other rebel groups: a case of ‘coopetition’? Inside or outside global armed jihad? Al-Nusra’s split from al-Qaeda in summer 2016 Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: towards a definitive rupture with al-Qaeda? Conclusion 4 The 2007 Hamas–Fatah Conflict in Gaza and the Israeli–American Demands Nothing is ever what it seems in Palestine Fatah and Hamas: conjoined at birth The causes of the Fatah–Hamas division Fatah, Hamas, and the illegitimacy of armed struggle in a post-9/11 world Israel disengages from Gaza The Fatah–Hamas divide deepens Hamas takes over Gaza Conclusion 5 Hezbollah and the Lebanese State: Indispensable, Unpredictable – Destabilizing? The rise of the Shias as a ‘significant force’ in Lebanese politics The Civil War and its consequences The assassination of Rafiq Hariri Israel’s incursion into Lebanon, July–August 2006 Hezbollah’s role in Syria Epilogue: the present situation 6 When the State Becomes a Non-State: Yemen between the Huthis, Hirak and Al-Qaeda Introduction Successfully challenging the state: the rise of the Huthis Prelude to the Huthi insurgency: Yemen’s sectarian ‘imam’ ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Salih The fallout of the proxy war Rebuilding the Yemeni state and restoring Yemeni society Remarks that are not a conclusion 7 Violent Non-State Actors in Somalia: Al-Shabab and the Pirates Introduction Understanding violent non-state actors Violent non-state actors in Somalia: al-Shabab and the pirates Al-Shabab: origins, expansion and decline The rise and decline of pirates in Somalia The relationship between al-Shabab and piracy Why have the pirates and al-Shabab persisted? Strategies for controlling violent non-state actors Conclusion 8 ‘Being in Time’: Kurdish Movement and Quests of Universal ‘Minorities’, ‘nationalism’ and ideologies The pre-World War II Kurdish movement The hegemony of the left The left-wing radicalization of the 1970s 1980s–2010s: facing the domination of Islamism The vacuum of the 2000s–2010s Afterword Notes Bibliography Index