Translation of Major al-Qaeda Book that Outlines Its Plan for Defeating U.S. and Its Allies

Translation of Major al-Qaeda Book that Outlines Its Plan for Defeating U.S. and Its Allies

The genre of “strategic studies”—the name given by jihadi ideologues to their books and articles on the strengths and weakness of the jihadi movement and those of its enemies—had, until recently, been neglected by Western governments and analysts involved with counterterrorism. In 2004, Hegghammer and Lia called attention to the genre (which they dubbed “jihadi strategic studies”) and usefully commented on its features (Hegghammer and Lia, SCT, 2004). More recently, Brachman and McCants demonstrated how this genre can be used to identify and exploit the weaknesses of the jihadi movement (Brachman and McCants, SCT, 2006—a draft is available online). Despite this growing attention, a full translation of one of these books has not been publicly available.

One reason for the neglect of works in this genre is that they are written in Arabic and they are often quite lengthy. Moreover, they are much more difficult to translate than the usual diatribes by Bin Ladin and other prominent jihadi leaders. Unlike the latter, which are meant for popular consumption, jihadi strategic texts require translators to have a familiarity with Western strategic studies (from which they draw heavily), medieval Islamic history and theology, and contemporary developments in the jihadi movement. The reward for overcoming these obstacles is immeasurable—these works are brilliant (if diabolical) studies of global insurgency written by its most intellectually-gifted participants. While it is still an open question as to whether these texts guide the actions of foot soldiers, they are certainly read by the jihadi intelligentsia and they remain the best source for understanding the nature of the jihadi movement.

In recognition of their value, the Olin Institute for Strategic Studies at Harvard commissioned William McCants in 2005 to translate one of the most recent and significant of these works, Abu Bakr Naji’s Management of Savagery (some of its salient features are summarized in the Brachman and McCants article cited above). The Olin Institute, in collaboration with West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center, is making this translation available online for free. Writing as a high-level insider, Naji explains how al-Qaeda plans to defeat the U.S. and its allies in the Middle East, establish sanctuaries for Jihadis, correct organizational problems, and create better propaganda. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the strategic thinking of al-Qaeda’s leadership and the future of the jihadi movement.

Jumping to page 44:

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The plan of action and movement:

Sequential strikes against America, ending with the strike of September which America deserved according to the sharia and which will succeed according to fate (by God’s permission) if they were faithfully discharged. And it did succeed, praise be to God. The inevitable result of this escalating sequence is the fall of the prestige of America among the masses and among the elites of the world in the armies of apostasy.

In addition to igniting upheavals [lit. “events”] and the approach of the fire to the region, there was an expansion of the jihadi current which more than doubled what it lost in the upheavals of the nineties. This expansion usually happens alongside upheavals and large operations in accordance with their size.

As a consequence, America will either seek revenge and the conflict will intensify or it will launch a limited war. In the case of the latter, its grudge will not be satisfied and it will not succeed in curbing this escalating expansion. America might have caused the downfall of the state of Afghanistan, which it had already planned for, or it might have collapsed without the momentous events of September (refer to the preface). However, (America) will begin to confront the transformation of this expansion into tens of thousands of groups (like those of) September, which will turn their strikes against it and America will not find a state as an entity from which it can take its revenge, and the remaining (states) are its clients. Thus, it will become clear to it that the regimes which support it cannot protect it from attacks and cannot preserve its strategic interests and the interests of its adopted daughter, Israel, in the region. It has no choice but to fall into the second trap. As for the first trap, we have already mentioned it. It is the invasion of Afghanistan. The mere failure of America to achieve all of its military goals in this country and the continuing resistance of this country throughout one or two years or more will convince the masses and some of the noble ones among the armies of apostasy that opposition to America is possible. As for the second trap, it is to put (America’s) armies, which occupy the region and set up military bases in it without resistance, in a state of war with the masses in the region. It is obvious at this very moment that it stirs up movements that increase the jihadi expansion and create legions among the youth who contemplate and plan for resistance, (even though) these forces had previously been present and well-established while the people slept right next to them and sensed no danger. Likewise, it began to become clear to the American administration that it was being drained; that the ease of entry into more than one war at a time was mere speculative words suitable only for paper; and that the remoteness of the center from the peripheries had a profound effect on its ability to end the wars. All of these results grow more serious day after day. Praise be to God for all eternity.

Behold the blows that are directed toward (America) and its allies in both the East and the West! These blows have continued until this very moment. Therefore, what is the plan by which we shall shape [lit. “provoke”] events from now until we have completely accomplished (by the permission of God) our goals which we mentioned above?

- Diversify and widen the vexation strikes against the Crusader-Zionist enemy in every place in the Islamic world, and even outside of it if possible, so as to disperse the efforts of the alliance of the enemy and thus drain it to the greatest extent possible. For example: If a tourist resort that the Crusaders patronize in Indonesia is hit, all of the tourist resorts in all of the states of the world will have to be secured by the work of additional forces, which are double the ordinary amount, and a huge increase in spending. If a usurious bank belonging to the Crusaders is struck in Turkey, all of the banks belonging to the Crusaders will have to be secured in all of the countries and the (economic) draining will increase. If an oil interest is hit near the port of Aden, there will have to be intensive security measures put in place for all of the oil companies, and their tankers, and the oil pipelines in order to protect them and draining will increase. If two of the apostate authors are killed in a simultaneous operation in two different countries, they will have to secure thousands of writers in other Islamic countries. In this way, there is a diversification and widening of the circle of targets and vexation strikes which are accomplished by small, separate groups. Moreover, repeatedly (striking) the same kind of target two or three times will make it clear to them that this kind (of target) will continue to be vulnerable.

The targets we must concentrate on and the reasons for that: We said that we should strike any kind of target permitted in the Sharia. However, it is necessary to focus on economic targets, particularly petroleum. One might say that we will be faced with a media campaign in which every accusation will be directed against us, beginning with (the charge that we) are working to impoverish and weaken the countries economically, and so on.

And some will remind us that when the Islamic Group in Egypt directed its attacks against tourism, it is not appropriate to use their idea now or then since they attacked a forbidden target and weakened the economy of the regime of apostasy. Likewise, it was not appropriate to respond to the media campaign of the regime. We will return to this point (later).

As for attacking economic targets from which the enemy benefits, particularly petrol, the reason for doing so is that this is the core – or at least the prime mover – of the enemy and its great leaders will only be cut down by this means. Hitting economic targets will force (the enemy) to goad the regimes, who are (already) exhausted from protecting the other remaining targets (economic or otherwise), into pumping in more forces for its protection. As a result, feebleness will start to appear in their forces, especially since their forces are limited, for there is a rule for the regimes of apostasy that says: police forces and the army in general, and the forces [20] battling terrorism and protecting against terrorist operations in particular, must be safeguarded from infiltration. For example, it is better for the department of investigation in Egypt to have five thousand loyal officers than to have twenty thousand which have been infiltrated by one of the Islamic groups. Thus, their forces are limited and select and the regimes have to put in place the following priorities:

First: Personal protection for the royal/ruling families and the presidential institutions.

Second: Foreigners.

Third: Petroleum and the economy.

Fourth: Entertainment spots.

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