 Defeating ISIS | |
| Author | Malcolm Nance Richard Engel (foreword) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) |
| Genre | Counterterrorism |
| Publisher | Skyhorse Publishing |
Publication date | 2016 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 544 |
| ISBN | 978-1510711846 |
| OCLC | 980515128 |
| Preceded by | The Terrorists of Iraq |
| Followed by | The Plot to Hack America |
| Website | Official website |
| [1][2] | |
Defeating ISIS: Who They Are, How They Fight, What They Believe is a non-fiction book aboutcounterterrorism againstISIS. It was written byMalcolm Nance, a formercryptology analyst, with a foreword byRichard Engel. Its thesis is that ISIS is not part ofIslam, instead, it functions as a separate destructive extremist group. He emphasizes the fact that the majority of those who have been harmed by ISIS are themselves Muslim. The book traces the history of the movement back to the history ofAl-Qaeda in Iraq, and it also discusses ISIS's combat style and recruiting tactics. Nance offers a four-point plan to defeat ISIS, including airpower and special forces, Internet tactics, strengthening theSyrian military, and engagingArab world states.[1][2]
Defeating ISIS argues that the groupISIS does not belong to the faith ofIslam, and should instead be thought of as a separate destructive extremist group. The work is organized into four sections. The author provides historical context for the evolution of ISIS over time. The book emphasizes that the majority of ISIS's victims are Muslim. He argues that ISIS is attempting to annihilate Islam itself, and instead replace it with its own more inhumane practices.[1][2][3]
Nance ties the history of ISIS back to changing developments withinAl-Qaeda. Nance ascribes growth of influence by ISIS directly to problems within U.S. leadership related to combatingAl-Qaeda in Iraq. He provides an overview of ISIS management, soldiers, and command format.Defeating ISIS provides geographic descriptions of ISIS centers of influence globally, including Mali, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, and Jordan. Nance discusses cultural differences within each locality. He details the practices ofBoko Haram. He describes the Western influence of ISIS into countries including France, the U.S., Australia, and Turkey. He recounts theNovember 2015 Paris attacks and response to the incident. He provides the reader with a basis of ISIS operations within countries in Asia, states in the region of the Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan, andArab states of the Persian Gulf.[1][2][3]
The book describes the terrorist group's attempts to remake the world through jihad. Nance grounds the reader within the context ofIslamic history, including theBattle of Nahrawan, controversy regardingShia–Sunni relations, evolution of theQarmatians, and theMahdist War.Defeating ISIS details tactics of ISIS manipulation including psychological manipulation,behavior modification, and brainwashing. Nance writes that these strategies lead to gross violations of human rights, including sexual assault andchild soldiers.Defeating ISIS describes ISIS combat tactics, with analysis of their armaments. Nance writes that ISIS usually engages in the military tactics of mountain warfare and frontal assault, later encouraging each other through social media discussing their combat operations.[1][2][3]
Defeating ISIS concludes with a strategy proposed by the author to weaken the organization both their combat operations and their ability to garner new followers. Nance lays forth a four-point plan, including: combat strategy with increased incorporation of airpower and special forces units, tactics to combat ISIS over the Internet, revitalization of theSyrian Armed Forces, and enlisting increased support from Arab world countries.[1][2][4]
Malcolm Nance is a retiredcryptology analyst.[5][6][7] He garnered expertise within the field of intelligence analysis.[8][9][10] Nance served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, from 1981 to 2001.[11][12] He devoted years researching Middle East terrorism.[13] Nance founded a company providing advice to U.S. Special Operations, and created a survival tactics training center.[11][12] He manages a think tank consisting ofCIA and counterterrorism officers.[10][12] His books on intelligence includeAn End to al-Qaeda,[14]Terrorist Recognition Handbook,[15]The Terrorists of Iraq,[16]The Plot to Hack America,[17] andHacking ISIS.[18]
Prior to his work onDefeating ISIS, Nance had already extensively researched the topic, while writing a treatise specifically geared for the intelligence community to educate them in textbook format on the growth over time ofAl-Qaeda in Iraq.[19]Defeating ISIS was contracted for publication withSkyhorse Publishing in November 2015, originally slated for a January 2017 release date.[20]
Defeating ISIS was published in 2016 by Skyhorse Publishing in print format.[21] An e-book was published the same year.[22] It went through two more editions in 2016.[23][24]W. W. Norton & Company published another edition in 2017.[25]
Defeating ISIS madeThe New York Times Best Seller list at number nine for the week of July 3, 2016, in the section for "E-Book Nonfiction".[26][27][8] U.S. PresidentDonald Trump toldTime magazine he readDefeating ISIS while he was a candidate for president in July 2016.[28][29]
U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations retired Colonel Millard E. Moon reviewed the book forJournal of Strategic Security, and wrote, "Nance offers a compelling argument to support the concept of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as a cult set apart from the Islamic religion."[1] Moon said that, "Nance has done a really good job of providing detailed information about the growth and activities of ISIS components".[1] He praised the author's ability to structure the book as a reference resource, writing, "there is a wealth of factual information on ISIS".[1] As for the religious nature of the organization, Moon acknowledged, "Malcolm Nance does an excellent job of outlining what ISIS believes".[1] Moon concluded, "This book is a good reference source for anyone in the professional field and for individuals seeking to understand the enemy and what we and our allies face."[1]
Current Affairs journalist Adam Patterson called the book "One of the more intelligent, incisive mass-market books on ISIS."[2] Patterson emphasized, "The central value of Nance's work is ultimately written into its title.Defeating ISIS outlines that the jihadi group can, with intelligent application of diplomatic and counterinsurgency methods, be eventually defeated."[2]Rachel Maddow referenced this book as a source she used to educate herself about ISIS.[30] The book received a negative review by Paul Monk inThe Australian.[31] Monk criticized the writing style, and disputed Nance's view that ISIS wished "to destroy Islam".[31]The Guardian national security reporterSpencer Ackerman praised the author's expertise, citing the caliber of his worksThe Terrorists of Iraq andDefeating ISIS.[32]
Malcolm Nance is a globally recognized counterterrorism expert and Intelligence Community member who has been deployed to intelligence operations in the Balkans, Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. He is the author of five books, including the New York Times bestseller Defeating ISIS
Malcolm Nance, a counterterrorism and intelligence consultant who runs the Terror Asymmetrics Project and is author of the New York Times bestseller 'Defeating ISIS: Who they are, how they fight, what they believe.'
When he reads books, he says, he reads quickly. He likes biographies of Lincoln, Nixon and Reagan and recently read Edward Klein's hostile books on the Clintons andDefeating ISIS by Malcolm Nance.
Nance told Alan Donald Trump is not seeing how his words are playing out beyond the rallies he shouts them. Nance also said that ISIS is being torn apart month by month, that even the Taliban wants to see ISIS destroyed, and if Donald Trump really read Nance's book as he claims, then he would know why President Obama uses 'ISIL' and not 'ISIS.'
Malcolm Nance has this new book out about defeating ISIS. It's not like a prose book. It's like an encyclopedia.
This is excerpted fromDefeating ISIS, by Malcolm Nance
Armed groups in theIraqi conflict | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
     | |||||||||||||||
| Iraqi government |
| ||||||||||||||
| Ba'athists |
| ||||||||||||||
| Militias and others |
| ||||||||||||||
| Insurgents |
| ||||||||||||||
