First published 2014
Malcolm Nance examines the terror groups that emerged after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and evolved into ISIS. He traces how former Baathist regime loyalists, al-Qaeda in Iraq fighters, and Shiite insurgents transformed Iraq into the epicenter of a campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate across the Middle East. Nance details the political, combat, and religious strategies these groups employed, along with their street-level tactics and timing of specific terrorist acts to achieve strategic goals. He reveals the daily reality faced by American, British, and coalition soldiers during eight years of conflict, and what Iraqi forces and civilians continue to endure. The analysis shows how insurgents planned to force U.S. withdrawal and destabilize the Shiite government left behind. This second edition adds three chapters covering ISIS evolution from al-Qaeda in Iraq between 2011-2014, plus updated intelligence predictions. Nance provides an unbiased examination of multiple Iraqi terror organizations and their broader regional ambitions, offering insights that could help contain the insurgency and foster Middle Eastern stability.
Genres: history, political-science, terrorism, non-fiction, 21st-century, military-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism
Setting: Iraq, Middle East
Period: 2003, 2011-2014
404 pages · Hardcover · CRC Press
Content warnings: violence, war