Enemies Near and Far: How Jihadist Groups Strategize, Plot, and Learn

The transnational jihadist movement has proved resilient and adaptable, with many analysts underestimating their tactics and strategies. Two experts, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Thomas Joscelyn, use newly available documents from al-Qaeda and ISIS to explain how these groups think, grow, and adapt. They recast militant groups as learning organizations, detailing their embrace of strategic, tactical, and technological innovation. The book provides a sweeping account of these groups' experimentation over time and explores their most effective strategic and tactical moves, including attacks targeting aircraft and the use of the internet. It also examines how to anticipate future threats, analyzing how militants are likely to deploy emerging technologies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 512 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Despite the United States' unwavering focus on combating militant groups for two decades, the transnational jihadist movement has proven remarkably resilient and adaptable. Many analysts and practitioners have underestimated these militant organizations, viewing them as unsophisticated or unchanging despite the ongoing evolution of their tactics and strategies.

In their book, Enemies Near and Far, two internationally recognized experts delve into the inner workings of jihadist groups, utilizing newly available documents from al-Qaeda and ISIS. Through the lens of organizational learning, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Thomas Joscelyn reimagine these militant organizations as dynamic learning entities, highlighting their embrace of strategic, tactical, and technological innovation. Drawing on a wealth of theories, they offer a comprehensive account of these groups' experimentation over time. Gartenstein-Ross and Joscelyn shed light on the most effective strategic and tactical moves employed by jihadist groups, such as attacks targeting aircraft and the utilization of the internet to inspire and direct lone attackers. They also examine jihadists' remarkable ability to adapt their strategy based on the changing political landscape. While initial efforts to enhance their capabilities may often yield mixed results, these attempts should be viewed as part of an ongoing learning process—a journey that persists until these groups achieve a breakthrough.

Enemies Near and Far provides an unprecedented historical and strategic perspective on how jihadist groups learn and evolve. It delves into the mechanisms by which these organizations acquire knowledge, adapt their tactics, and remain relevant in an ever-changing global landscape. Moreover, the book explores how to anticipate future threats posed by jihadist groups, analyzing how militants are likely to deploy a range of emerging technologies. By examining the past and present of jihadist groups, Enemies Near and Far offers valuable insights into countering the evolving threat of international terrorism.

Weight: 840g
Dimension: 160 x 238 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231195249