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

Combating Terrorism Center at West Point ^ | 2006 | By Abu Bakr Naji Translated by William McCants

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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The Management of Savagery

By Abu Bakr Naji
Translated by William McCants

DOWNLOAD THE MANAGEMENT OF SAVAGERY

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.

Download "Stealing al-Qa`ida's Playbook"

The translation is available at the Olin Institute website (www.wcfia.harvard.edu/olin/) and the Combating Terrorism Center website (www.ctc.usma.edu).

 

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

[tet68]

Thanks for the link.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hat Tip to the CounterTerrorism Blog.

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Al Qaeda's Master Plan

By Olivier Guitta

Folowing on my post on Al Qaeda's expansion in the Middle East, I wrote a full article on this topic for Tech Central. You can read it here.
Here is an excerpt:
The fact that Al Qaeda is infiltrating countries surrounding Israel is no coincidence. It is aimed at preparing different bases to attack the Jewish state. In fact, while Al Qaeda was really shunning the issue of the Palestinians until 2001, it has now become one of the central issues of the terror network. It is a clear tactical decision in order to gather support recently lost in the Muslim world. This fits totally in Al Qaeda's master plan as exposed by Jordanian journalist Fouad Hussein in his recent book "Al Zarqawi: Al Qaeda's second Generation"(only available in Arabic). Thanks to his personal connection to Zarqawi -- many years ago, they spent time together in prison -- Hussein was able to interview him along with other major Al Qaeda leaders. Unsurprisingly, Hussein explains that Al Qaeda's final goal is to establish an Islamic Caliphate in seven phases.

Interestingly, the third phase called "The Rising" advocates heavy attacks against Israel because it will then force the world to acknowledge al Qaeda as a major power, and negotiate with it. This phase should last three years and allow Al Qaeda to infiltrate Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. According to Zarqawi, the very likely collision between the United States and Iran over the nuclear issue is going to help reach that goal because Iran is going to be less focused on exerting its control on Syria and Lebanon.

April 3, 2006 11:55 AM

[sageb1]

The top link doesn't work. "The Management of Strategy" is the original translated? Or is "Stealing al-Qa`ida's Playbook" the translation? It looks more like an analysis of the original work.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Got a publication date......23 May 2006

[AdvisorB]

Anything in the book about a jihad "popular front" with the democRATs? That's a hitler/stalin pact waiting to happen.

[sageb1]

Nevermind. I found it. Thanks for all the info!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Yes, it's a bit choppy....

Go here for their panel which allows the download:

The Management of Savagery

[BenLurkin]

The DNC 2008 platform?

[Excellence]

self ping

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

It seems to be a clumsy translation, but until something better comes along, it will have to do.

The links don't work, but the link embedded in the article excerpt gets you to the home page of the site that has the downloads.

[Just mythoughts]

Great post. I think our liberals are using this same handbook. Especially the NYTimes and elected liberals, the strategy especially in the 'depletion' of our military/economic strength are eerily of the same think, as well as the attempted reenactment of the Vietnam 'quagmire' syndrome.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Small excerpted section

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First Topic: Definition of “the management of savagery” and an overview of its historical precedents

We said above that if one contemplates the previous centuries, even until the middle of the twentieth century, one finds that when the large states or empires fell – whether they were Islamic or non-Islamic – and a state did not come into being which was equal in power or comparable to the previous state in its ability to control the lands and regions of that state which collapsed, the regions and sectors of this state became, according to human nature, subservient to what is called “administrations of savagery.” Therefore, the management of savagery is defined very succinctly as the management of savage chaos!!

As for a detailed definition, it differs according to the goals and nature of the individuals in the administration. If we picture its initial form, we find that it consists of the management of peoplesÂ’ needs with regard to the provision of food and medical treatment, preservation of security and justice among the people who live in the regions of savagery, securing the boarders by means of groups that deter anyone who tries to assault the regions of savagery, as well as setting up defensive fortifications.

(The stage of) managing the peopleÂ’s needs with regard to food and medical treatment may advance to (the stage of) being responsible for offering services like education and so forth. And the preservation of security and securing the borders may advance to working to expand of the region of savagery.

Why do we call it “management of savagery” or “management of savage chaos” and not “management of chaos”? That is because it is not the management of a commercial company, or of an institution suffering from chaos, or of a group of neighbors in a district or residential region, or even of a peaceful society suffering from chaos. Rather, it is more nebulous than chaos, in view of its corresponding historical precedents and the modern world and in light of wealth, greed, various forces, and human nature, and its form which we will discuss in this study. Before its submission to the administration, the region of savagery will be in a situation resembling the situation of Afghanistan before the control of the Taliban, a region submitting to the law of the jungle in its primitive form, whose good people and even the wise among the evildoers yearn for someone to manage this savagery. They even accept any organization, regardless of whether it is made up of good or evil people. However, if the evil people manage this savagery, it is possible that this region will become even more barbarous!

The ideal form we desire (in order to meet the) requirements of the management of savagery:

- In the preceding, we generally explained the requirements of the management of savagery in its initial form. But before we proceed to another point, we want to clarify the requirements of the management of savagery in the ideal form we desire and which agree with the aims of the Sharia [maqāsid al-shar`, a technical legal term]. These requirements are:

- Spreading internal security
- Providing food and medical treatment

- Securing the region of savagery from the invasions of enemies

- Establishing Sharia justice among the people who live in the regions of savagery

- Raising the level of belief and combat efficiency during the training of the youth of the region of savagery and establishing a fighting society at all levels and among all individuals by making them aware of its importance.

- Working for the spread of Sharia science (putting the most important aspects before those of lesser importance) and worldly science (putting the most important aspects before those of lesser importance).

- Dissemination of spies and seeking to complete the construction of a minimal intelligence agency.

- Uniting the hearts of the world's people by means of money and uniting the world through Sharia governance and (compliance with) rules which are publicly observed, at least by those in the administration.

- Deterring the hypocrites with proof and other means and forcing them to repress and conceal their hypocrisy, to hide their discouraged opinions, and to comply with those in authority until their evil is put in check.

- Progressing until it is possible to expand and attack the enemies in order to repel them, plunder their money, and place them in a constant state of apprehension and (make them) desire reconciliation.

- Establishing coalitions with those with whom coalitions are permitted, those who have not given complete allegiance to the administration.

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[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Heavy reading here!

[Stallone]

Establishing coalitions with those with whom coalitions are permitted, those who have not given complete allegiance to the administration. That would be Democrats?

[Stallone]

Establishing coalitions with those with whom coalitions are permitted, those who have not given complete allegiance to the administration.

That would be Democrats?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

There is a book,:

Unholy Alliance : Radical Islam and the American Left (Hardcover)

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And a review:

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Communism is dead. Long live Islam!, September 30, 2004

Reviewer:

Kevin Beckman (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

It sounds absurd: why would Leftists make common cause with a religion that is diametrically opposed to everything the Left stands for? David Horowitz explains that it is really quite logical given the Left's first principle: America is evil and anything or anyone opposed to America is good.

Part I of the book is a brief history of 9/11 through the end of major combat operations in Iraq, and the Left's behavior during this time. Horowitz includes the reaction of Katha Pollitt of The Nation magazine: "The flag stands for vengeance, and jingoism, and war." Anthropology Professor Nicholas De Genova of Columbia University said he hoped for "a million Mogadishus." His colleagues objected, not to the despicable sentiment, but because of the bad publicity it brought their "teach-in." Our tax dollars at work!

Part II is the heart of the book: a history of the American and international Left. Horowitz calls them Neo-Communists or Neocoms. The Neocoms of old believed in the Soviet Union the way religious people believe in God. Those who spied for the USSR didn't see themselves as traitors to their country, but rather loyalists to humanity and an ideal of America that's never existed. When the Soviet Union fell, a few of them stopped for some introspection but most pressed on as if nothing happened. Communist historian Eric Hobsbawm put it nicely: "Without the Revolution, my life and my work are meaningless."

Now that they no longer have to defend an indefensible regime, modern Neocoms are simply nihilists. They know what they oppose but they have no plans for the aftermath of the revolution which they still believe will happen. They don't know what they want, but they know what they hate: the United States, capitalism personified.

So why are they allying with radical Islam? Horowitz says that the Neocoms still believe in Marx's dictum that "religion is the opiate of the masses." Once private property is abolished, the need for religion will vanish, and Islamic radicals will stop being Islamic and radical. The only thing standing in the way is the United States.

Sound insane? It is. They are. I highly recommend this book. Horowitz makes the insanity understandable.

[goldstategop]

Good translation is an art as well as a science. But it helps us understand the enemy better so we will know how to counter his diabolical plans.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the CT Blog:

Al Qaeda's expansion in the Palestinian territories

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March 03, 2006

Al Qaeda's expansion in the Palestinian territories

Abu Mazen's interview to the pan-Arabic daily Al Hayat is getting lots of attention. In fact, his recognition of Al Qaeda's precense in Gaza and the West Bank coupled with his warning of the "destruction of the whole region" because of the terrorist entity, is only confirming what Israeli security services have been saying for months.

Another possible sign of Al Qaeda's expansion in the Palestinian territories has been revealed by the Emirati daily Al Ittihad. A so far unknown Palestinian group named " Jihad's Army and fight against corruption" (maybe sounding a little bit like an Al Qaeda offshoot) has been sending messages to foreign diplomatic representations in Gaza demanding that all personnel leave within a month. The communique calls for all non-Muslim foreigners to leave Gaza. It also denounces a Western style democracy on Muslim land and affirms its determination to impose sharia law.
Finally it mentions that a man like Saladeen, Ben Laden or Zarqawi is "on its way to Palestine to fight the symbols of corruption and the supporters of the infidels' democracy".

Coincidence or not, according to the newswebsite Proche-Orient.info, France has asked and obtained very quietly that all its citizens leave Gaza and the West Bank. Also, in the past six weeks, Israel had warned France three times of kidnappings risks.

Posted by Olivier Guitta at 08:11 PM | Permalink