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E-mail PageSince the 9/11 attacks, scholars have struggled to help Westerners understand what motivates the jihadi movement. Noting that the best way to understand jihadists is to ignore statements they release to the West in favor of examining what they say to each other, Jim Lacey provides a definitive collection of writings that intellectually underpins the movement. Rather than guessing about terrorist motivations from a Western perspective, readers are offered essays including those by the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hasan al-Banna, and a leading early member, Sayed Qutb that define the movement through the eyes of the terrorists themselves. As jihadist cadres begin to rebuild, Lacey notes that they are turning once again to their original thinkers to justify their actions. This project is sponsored by the United States Joint Forces Command.
Jim Lacey is the author of Takedown: The 3rd Infantry Division's Twenty-One Day Assault on Baghdad (978-159114-458-8), $29.95, Hardcover, Naval Institute Press, 2007.
"The Canons of Jihad" documents the evolution of jihadi writings beginning with Hasan al-Banna's "Jihad" in 1928, through Abu Musab al-Suri's 2004 "The Call to Global Islamic Resistance". This compilation of translated writings gives the reader insight into the evolution of jihadi thought through the 20th century. The editor, Mr. Jim Lacey, is a former US infantry officer who also served as an embedded journalist during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. This dual perspective of former military officer, and commercial journalist, he is in a unique position to offer insightful introductions to each of the jihadi writings, by putting each document into context for the timing and geographic area of each writing. I knew very little of the jihadi movement before reading this book, outside what can be gleaned from the Washington Post. After reading the book, I now understand that Jihad is an essential part of Islam; however, violent jihad is not. For over 80 years, the distorted logic of al-Banna and the other authors has formed the basis for a criminalized version of a peaceful religion. The full versions of the documents contain volumes of pseudo-justification to validate their violent views, but Mr. Lacey admits to editing out these references in order to focus on the key points of their thought. "The Canons of Jihad" are to the jihad, what the "Federalist Papers" are to the United States. This set of documents, absent the onerous religious references, forms the ideological foundation for the jihadi movement. This book needs a place on the bookshelf between Von Klausewitz's "On War", and Sun Tzu's "Art of War". It is unimportant whether you agree or disagree with the concepts presented, however it is essential for people to understand this controversial way of thinking
