Drawing on a wide range of primary sources; this volume argues that although the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars are often understood as laying the foundations for total war; many eyewitnesses continued to draw upon older interpretative frameworks to make sense of the armed struggle and attendant political and social upheaval.
#308134 in Books Barry Rubin 2010-06-21 2010-05-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x .60 x 5.90l; .75 #File Name: 0230100716186 pagesThe Muslim Brotherhood The Organization and Policies of a Global Islamist Movement
Review
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. The Muslim Brotherhood is the most successful Islamist group in the world.By ReaderThere has been an obvious rise in Islamic inspired religious terrorism throughout the world in recent years. The Muslim Brotherhood is viewed by many in the Middle East and the West as the root source for current Islamic terrorism. It uses a grassroots network of social and charitable organizations to expand membership and gain trust. It has branches in 70 countries and territories including active branches in the United Kingdom; France; and in numerous other European countries as well as in the United States. It has no principled opposition to violence. The Brotherhoods in each country are independent of each other and use different tactics. All the Brotherhoods seek a thoroughly Islamized society and polity in which it exercises state power.The book has solid academic credentials. It is not propaganda. The Muslim Brotherhood is viewed by many in the Middle East and the West as the root source for current Islamic terrorism. It is very relevant and supplies a good overview that illuminates today's news.This is a topic one can not afford to be ignorant of. The Brotherhood is not a "secular" institution.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A Must ReadBy Paul SutliffThis is an academically well researched piece that should be considered a must read by any who want to learn more about the Muslim Brotherhood.13 of 15 people found the following review helpful. A Map of the Muslim BrotherhoodBy Susan SouthworthAfter the spring 2011 upheavals; what part will the Muslim Brotherhood play and what power will it attain when the dust settles? As a Senior Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Foreign Policy Institute and elsewhere; Barry Rubin has been thinking about that question for years; while others were focused on the inevitable staying power of regimes in the Arab world. The contributors chosen by Rubin range far beyond the Brotherhood's beginnings in Egypt; covering the global spread; leaders; operating structures and strategies in Britain; France; Gaza; Germany; Iran; Iraq; Jordan; Lebanon; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Turkey and the West Bank.The adaptability; progress; modesty; and patience of the Brotherhood is an admirable model. Specific failed attempts to come to power in Egypt and elsewhere did not weaken the Brotherhood or reduce its membership. Although impatient members peeled off; forming more radical; violent groups; there were enough new members to more than replace those who moved on. The Brotherhood learned from setbacks and developed more sophisticated tactics; as well as increasing its schools; hospitals and charities. It grew and waited for generations; with supreme patience; for its opportunity to ripen.When the tsunami rolled across the Arab world; the Brotherhood was uniquely prepared to ride the crest. Rubin explains why it has the brightest future; "...while other Islamist groups have made more dramatic appearances; launched huge terrorist attacks; and fought civil wars; the Muslim Brotherhoods have shown more staying power and better organizational skills." This is the essential book for policy makers; students and keen general readers of the geopolitics of the umma who want a guide to this long underestimated organization that suddenly appears remarkable.The international aspect of the Brotherhood creates a sense of global power and fraternity for members. Lorenzo Vidino's history of the Brotherhood in Europe begins with; "small; scattered groups of Brothers from Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries..." Farhad Khosrokhavar explains that the Brotherhood's role in France "...is to create a distinct identify that will push toward the preservation of Allah's religion in an ultra secular environment and create solidarity with other Muslims around the world without bringing the conflicts that split the Muslim world back to France in a violent manner." Guido Steinberg describes the growth of the Brotherhood in Germany beginning in Munich and Aachen in the 1960s. The Brotherhood's invisibility in Canada and the U.S. is explained by Alyssa A. Lappen as intentional; "the name Muslim Brotherhood is never used explicitly in North America by its adherents; and connections to the organization are denied publicly...". So successful have they been that the U.S. is particularly in the dark about this well-established global fraternity. David Rich notes that "Muslim Brotherhood figures in Britain have tried hard to present themselves as potential allies in counter-terrorist work..."Where is Dubai; Kuwait; and Qatar money helpful? Which electoral candidates do the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates support in Europe? These and many other questions are answered in Rubin's latest book.
