Dear comrades, I had a family BBQ yesterday and my beloved uncle is under the Impression that all Muslim extremists (Al Qaeda, Isis and such) are Iran’s fault and that they are the making of Shia Islam. That the Sunni are western Muslims oppressed by Iran.
Are there any documentaries or articles I could use to inform him?
I tried explaining operation Cyclone and timber sycamore but Wikipedia usually isn’t that convincing in his circle (he has a PhD in engineering and used to work for a western oil company in the middle east)
It’s not the best source, but I’m currently reading ‘I am Malala’ Malala’s autobiography and she, as a Pakistani whose family lived through the rise of Islamic extremism, explains how the US and Gulf monarchies funded Islamic radicalization programs and the mujahadeen to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, and that really laid the groundwork for future far right groups like the Taliban. She’s a Marxist, and though I don’t know if she says that explicitly in the book it also shows her radicalization experience well.
I read that book about 5 years ago and while she does explain some of the context for the embracement of it specifically in Pakistan, I don’t feel like she went into a ton of detail with explanations of the rise as a whole. It’s certainly a worthwhile read but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s the best for this.
True, you get the idea, but not very thoroughly or in a well sourced manner.
The last chapter of this book talks about how the West and the Saudi monarchy funded extremists.
It might not be quite what you’re looking for, but you might try Arun Kundnani, The Muslims are Coming! Islamaphobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror. It could be kinda the opposite of what you’re looking for as the premise is that Islamic extremism isn’t the problem is made out to be. It can be a problem, sure. But it’s the state’s response that is the bigger problem. And the scare stories are intended to justify this response. I’ve only skimmed this one so far. But from the blurb:
… Based on several years of research and reportage … this is the first comprehensive critique of counter-radicalization strategies. The new policy and policing campaigns have been backed by an industry of freshly minted experts and liberal commentators. The Muslims are Coming! looks at the way these debates have been transformed by the embrace of a narrowly configured and ill-conceived antiextremism.
The documentary “Bitter Lake”, which you can find on YouTube, maybe? I haven’t seen it in a long time myself so I apologise if it’s not quite what you’re looking for.
Thank you all for your responses!!
