Islamic Extremism: Causes, Diversity, and Challenges

by Monte Palmer, Princess Palmer

Overview

This accessible and deeply informed book examines the threat that Islamic extremists pose to America and provides a balanced and nuanced discussion of the link between Iraq and the war on terror. Explaining the basics of Islam and guiding the reader through the intricacies of each significant fundamentalist group, the Palmers answer key questions: Who are the Muslim extremists and how do they fit within the broader context of the Islamic religion? What is their war plan and how do they operate? Who are their allies and what are their weaknesses? What is the experience of Israel, the Islamic world, and the United States in fighting Muslim extremists? How can they be defeated? The book includes detailed analyses of Hizbullah and the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, the Iraqi clones of Hizbullah, and the Islamic government in Turkey.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781461638117
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/03/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	915 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Monte Palmer is professor emeritus at Florida State University. He directed FSU's Middle East Studies Center, as well as the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. Princess Palmer is a former consultant for the World Bank.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: America's Struggle against Terror: Who is the Enemy?
Chapter 2: Islam, Muslim Extremism, and Anti-Americanism
Chapter 3: The Muslim Brotherhood and the Origin of the Radical-Moderates
Chapter 4: Hamas: The Ascendance of Religious Extremism in the Arab Israeli Conflict
Chapter 5: Hizbullah: A Tale of Three Countries
Chapter 6: Iraqi Hizbullah
Chapter 7: Turkey: A Model for Democratic Islamic Rule?
Chapter 8: The Jihadist Movement and How it Evolved
Chapter 9: The Jihadist War Plan
Chapter 10: The Jihadist War Machine
Chapter 11: The Allies of the Jihadists: Those Who Make Terror Possible
Chapter 12: The Israeli Struggle against Terror and Islamic Extremism: A Guide for the United States
Chapter 13: How America's Allies in the Islamic World Fight Terror
Chapter 14: America, Islamic Extremism and Jihadist Terror

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the authors' work:

[A] sensible and productive set of proposals for understanding Muslim extremism.. .. [The authors] analyze jihadi strategies with a nuanced common sense all too hard to come by in the sometimes sensationalist literature on the topic.

The New York Times

Praise for the authors' work:

A compelling and extremely well-written analysis of topics that generally suffer serious distortion by the unthinking generalizations of policymakers and the media. The complexity of the Islamic world and the Middle East are made wholly understandable through this excellent and lucid work.

Prof. J. A. (Tony) Allan

The authors' nuanced analysis is a welcome addition to a growing literature on political Islam. Recommended.

Choice Reviews

This powerful author team examines the heart and soul of Islam, a religion and civilization that is increasingly global in impact. As leading guides, the Palmers provide a clear path to understanding Islam. Using their new book as a field guide, readers will chart a safe course through a world beset by violence, ignorance, and arrogance.

James A. Bill

This brilliant book is absolutely the best contribution ever to the study of Islamic radicalism. Never before has any work on this heated topic dealt with it as comprehensively, dispassionately, and convincingly as the Palmers do in this breathtaking study. This smoothly written work is a must read for everyone, including decision makers in countries gripped with the dilemma of Islamic radicalism.

Hilal Khashan

The authors' nuanced analysis is a welcome addition to a growing literature on political Islam. Recommended.

Choice

The authors' nuanced analysis is a welcome addition to a growing literature on political Islam. Recommended.

CHOICE

Praise for the authors' work:

[A] sensible and productive set of proposals for understanding Muslim extremism. . . . [The authors] analyze jihadi strategies with a nuanced common sense all too hard to come by in the sometimes sensationalist literature on the topic.

The New York Times