The Rise and Fall of Al-Qaeda

270 Pages·2011·1.14 MB·English

by  Fawaz A. Gerges

THE RISE AND FALL OF AL-QAEDA
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THE RISE AND FALL
OF AL-QAEDA
Fawaz A. Gerges
3
Oxford University Press, Inc., publishes works that further
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Copyright © 2011 by Fawaz A. Gerges
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without the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gerges, Fawaz A., 1958–
Th e rise and fall of Al-Qaeda / Fawaz A. Gerges.
p. c.m
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-19-979065-4 (alk. paper)
1. Qaida (Organization) 2. Terrorism.
3. Terrorism—Religious aspects—Islam. I. Title.
HV6432.5.Q2G47 2011
363.325—dc22 2011013771
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
To Avi Shlaim
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix

Introduction : Life Aft er Death 3
1 . Th e Rise of Al-Qaeda 29
2 . Th e Growing Rift 69
3 . A Success and a Miscalculation 84
4 . Decline and Fall 104
5 . Legacies and Aft ershocks 127
Conclusion : Down to Size 192

Notes 215
Index 249
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Th ere is no space to list all of the numerous colleagues, activists, and
strangers in the Middle East who over the years spent countless
hours with me, patiently answering my questions and deepening my
knowledge of the Islamist and jihadist phenomena. I owe them grat-
itude for their time and insights, and for sharing their experience
with me. I could not have writt en this book without their personal
stories, feedback, and competing narratives.
I want to thank my research assistant Andrew Bowen, a Ph.D. can-
didate at LSE, who went beyond the call of duty in editing, summa-
rizing, and synthesizing several sections of Th e Rise and Fall . His work
ethic and generosity of spirit are exceptional. I also want to thank Hadi
Makarem, a Ph.D. candidate at LSE, who has just joined me as a
research assistant. Special thanks are due to colleagues who read and
critiqued separate chapters of the book, including Farid Senzai,
Mohammed Ayoob, Nader Hashemi, Hassan Abbas, Kamran Bokhari,
Antonio Giustozzi, Karim Mezran, Avi Shlaim, Charles Tripp, Clau-
dio Franco, Tarak Barkawi, Omar Ashour, and Marvin Weinbaum.
I appreciate the meticulous and rigorous editing and feedback of
my OUP editor, Tim Bent, who invested considerable time and en-
ergy in the book. Tim edited my previous book, Journey of the Jihad-
ist , and showed a deep commitment and dedication to its quality.
ix