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The Master Plan

ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Jihadi Strategy for Final Victory

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The Master Plan

By: Brian Fishman
Narrated by: Stephen R. Thorne
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Given how quickly its operations have achieved global impact, it may seem that the Islamic State materialized suddenly. In fact, al-Qaeda's operations chief, Sayf al-Adl, devised a seven-stage plan for jihadis to conquer the world by 2020 that included reestablishing the Caliphate in Syria between 2013 and 2016. Despite a massive schism between the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, al-Adl's plan has proved remarkably prescient. In summer 2014, ISIS declared itself the Caliphate after capturing Mosul, Iraq - part of stage five in al-Adl's plan. Drawing on large troves of recently declassified documents captured from the Islamic State and its predecessors, counterterrorism expert Brian Fishman tells the story of this organization's complex and largely hidden past - and what the master plan suggests about its future. Only by understanding the Islamic State's full history - and the strategy that drove it - can we understand the contradictions that may ultimately tear it apart.

©2016 Brian H. Fishman (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc. 21st Century Freedom & Security Middle East Military Modern Politics & Government War & Crisis World War Iran Africa Royalty Ottoman Empire Imperialism Refugee Middle Ages
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I enjoyed this book very much. It is the history of Isis and its relationship with Al-Queda and very many other jihadi players in the Syrian, Iraqi, Iranian conflict.

Didn't realise ""Abu" was such a common name as very many in the book are so named.

It is a history text, exceedingly well researched and detailed, with masses of information, including the U.S and Russian perspective and posits the nature of the gap between everyday violence and truly bestial acts commited in God's name.

I liked it because of the juxtaposition of the completely foreign and unimaginable ethos of many of the Jihadis towards their fellows, and what I think is the West's complete unwillingness and inability to understand this rationale. Never the twain shall meet, I'm guessing. Other than a grab for power and a dictatorship based on a medieval interpretation of the Koran, the violence is utterly senseless., yet supported by millions.

The narrator was great, always very welcome.

Heavy going but worth it.

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