Secunder Kermani leads a compelling discussion with Lina Khatib, who analyzes the Iraq War's impact on extremism, Joby Warrick, revealing the rise of ISIS in his Pulitzer-winning insights, and Tam Hussein, who delves into the narratives of jihadist foreign fighters. They explore how the Iraq War fueled terror and sectarian violence, the connections between Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and the radicalization processes affecting communities in the West and the Middle East. This engaging dialogue highlights the complex legacy of conflict that continues to shape global security.
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insights INSIGHT
Rise of Extremism
The Iraq War became about Islamist jihadist extremism due to the US invasion.
The Sunni community, viewed as Saddam Hussein's allies, faced discrimination and sidelining, pushing some towards extremism.
insights INSIGHT
Evolution of Insurgency
The insurgency in Iraq evolved from nationalist to jihadist due to a marriage of convenience.
Dispossessed Sunnis and foreign jihadists like Zarqawi allied, exploiting the security vacuum.
insights INSIGHT
Sectarian Tensions
Sectarian tensions in Iraq existed before, but were inflamed by the US invasion and extremist rhetoric.
Al-Zarqawi’s language stoked the conflict, turning a political issue into a sectarian one.
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In this book, Joby Warrick provides a comprehensive narrative of the emergence of ISIS. He focuses on the key figure of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who transformed from a Jordanian street tough to a brutal jihadist leader. Warrick details how Zarqawi's ideology and actions, along with the miscalculations of American and Arab leaders, contributed to the rise of ISIS. The book draws on high-level access to CIA and Jordanian sources, weaving together the perspectives of diplomats, spies, generals, and heads of state to create a gripping and insightful geopolitical overview[1][3][4].
The Darkness Inside
Tam Hussein
The Darkness Inside is a novel by Tam Hussein that delves into the complexities of conflict and identity. It begins with the mundane yet intriguing story of a young man's stabbing in South London, which unravels into a deeper exploration of his past as a foreign fighter in Syria. The narrative weaves together elements of mystery and profound human insight, reflecting Hussein's expertise in conflict journalism.
How did the Iraq war fuel terror and extremism around the world? What is the connection between Al-Qaeda and ISIS? How did figures like Abū Muṣʻab Zarqāwī and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi become such prominent figures in Jihadism’s global civil war?
On episode four of this series Iraq: Legacy of War, brought to you by Intelligence Squared, foreign correspondent Secunder Kermani is joined by Lina Khatib, Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute; Joby Warrick, journalist and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS; and Tam Hussein, investigative journalist and author of The Darkness Inside.
Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/joby-warrick
The Darkness Inside by Tam Hussein: https://tinyurl.com/bddmmz7m
To listen to the whole series now please subscribe via Intelligence Squared Premium on Apple Podcasts or here: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ for ad-free listening, bonus content, early access and much more.
This series was produced by Farah Jassat and Catharine Hughes, with editing and artwork from Catharine Hughes. Music is by Lesfm. Excerpts featured in this episode are from DW News.
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