Description
Book SynopsisThis book applies strategic culture concepts to violent non-state actors (VNSAs) in a comparative analysis.
In recent years, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has become notorious for kidnapping Western hostages in north-western Africa and for its role in the short-lived Islamist takeover of Mali. The group, formerly known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, rebranded itself as an Al-Qaida franchise in 2007, leading to speculation of a change from its Algeria-centric agenda to an anti-Western one. This study compares and contrasts the ideas and behaviour of these two groups, using a strategic-cultural approach, and finds that, despite some commonalities, AQIM has a distinct strategic culture from Al-Qaida central, thereby debunking the notion of Al-Qaida as a monolithic movement. This is the first comparative analysis of violent non-state actors to employ a strategic-cultural approach and the first such study on AQIM. While strategic culture has traditionally
Table of Contents
Preface 1. Strategic Culture and Violent Non-State Actors 2. Strategic Culture and Violent Non-State Actors 3. Strategic Narrative of Al-Qaida 4. Strategic Practices of Al-Qaida 5. Strategic Narrative of the GSPC-AQIM 6. Strategic Practices of the GSPC-AQIM 7. Strategic Cultural Comparison 8. Conclusion Appendix: The Maghrebi Guerrilla Tradition
