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Defeating ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield: the Case for the Corporation Against Ideological Violence

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Defeating ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield: the Case for the Corporation Against Ideological Violence U.S. Naval War College U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons CIWAG Case Studies 8-2018 Defeating ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield: The Case for the Corporation Against Ideological Violence Michael W.S. Ryan Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/ciwag-case-studies Recommended Citation Ryan, Michael W.S., "Defeating ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield: The Case for the Corporation Against Ideological Violence" (2018). CIWAG Case Studies. 16. https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/ciwag-case-studies/16 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in CIWAG Case Studies by an authorized administrator of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Draft as of 121916 ARF R W ARE LA a U nd G A E R R M R I E D n o G R R E O T U N P E S C U N E IT EG ED L S OL TA R C TES NAVAL WA Defeating ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield: The Case for the Corporation Against Ideological Violence Michael W. S. Ryan United States Naval War College Newport, Rhode Island Defeating ISIS and Al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield: The Case for the Corporation Against Ideological Violence Michael W. S. Ryan 1 Center on Irregular Warfare & Armed Groups (CIWAG) US Naval War College, Newport, RI [email protected] This work is cleared for public release; distribution is unlimited. This case study is available on CIWAG’s public website located at http://www.usnwc.edu/ciwag 2 Ryan Defeating ISIS and al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield Message from the Editors In 2008, the Naval War College established the Center on Irregular Warfare & Armed Groups (CIWAG). CIWAG’s primary mission is twofold: first, to bring cutting-edge research on Irregular Warfare into the Joint Professional Military Educational (JPME) curricula; and second, to bring operators, practitioners, and scholars together to share their knowledge and experiences about a vast array of violent and non-violent irregular challenges. This case study is part of an ongoing effort at CIWAG that includes symposia, lectures by world-renowned academics, case studies, research papers, articles, and books. Our aim is to make these case studies part of an evolving and adaptive curriculum that fulfills the needs of students preparing to meet the challenges of the post-9/11 world. Michael W. S. Ryan’s second case study for CIWAG is a deeply analytical and penetrating assessment of two challenges: first, how Jihadi Salaafist groups recruit individuals to their cause; and second, how we can stop them. Ryan’s argument is that to really disrupt the strategic communications of these groups, we must first understand how they leverage ideological frameworks to target vulnerable people. As a result, his nuanced analysis of the methods used by Jihadi Salaafist groups provides the framework for understanding how they hijack language and concepts to groom and retain followers. Ryan also addresses the question of how to inoculate against and repel these ideological overtures and help the families and communities they target by examining deradicalization and counter-radicalization programs in Saudi Arabia and Europe. For the United States, he recommends the establishment of a joint public- private Corporation Against Ideological Violence, modeled after the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Ever the pragmatist, Ryan also discusses the barriers—both conceptual and institutional—that must be overcome to ensure such a program’s success. Classroom instructors should find the nuanced analysis of Jihadi Salaafist recruitment techniques a solid foundation for why and how these groups continue to appeal to diverse audiences despite battlefield setbacks. 1 Ryan Defeating ISIS and al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield Practitioners and academics should find the detailed discussion of how a public-private Corporation Against Ideological Violence could be organized, funded, and be effective a thought-provoking and pragmatic framework. It is important to note two critical caveats to this case study. First, the opinions found in this case study are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy, the Naval War College, or CIWAG. Second, while every effort has been made to correct any factual errors in this work, the author is ultimately responsible for the content of this case study. We also have a special note of thanks for CIWAG’s senior editor, Janet Parkinson, for her tirelessly professional editorial work in bringing this complex case study from concept to full case study. Her good judgement and intellectual rigor were vital at all stages of development, from design to delivery. We hope you find this case study useful, and look forward to hearing your feedback and suggestions for how you can contribute to the Center on Irregular Warfare & Armed Group’s mission here at the Naval War College. 2 Ryan Defeating ISIS and al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield Author Biography Michael W. S. Ryan is a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation and an adjunct scholar at the Middle East Institute, both in Washington, D.C. Formerly, he served as a senior executive in the U.S. departments of state and defense and as vice president of the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Middle East Institute. He studied Arabic in Egypt and received his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr. Ryan is author of Decoding Al-Qaeda’s Strategy: The Deep Battle Against America, published by Columbia University Press (2013). His current research focus is jihadist ideology, doctrine, and strategy. 3 Ryan Defeating ISIS and al-Qaeda on the Ideological Battlefield Table of Contents Message from the Editors ..................................................................................................... 1 Author Biography ..................................................................................................................... 3 I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5 A. The Meaning of Jihad for Jihadi Salafism ............................................................ 16 B. Types of Jihad: al-Qaeda’s Perspective ................................................................ 18 C. Jihad After ISIS: Fusion of Jihadism and Salafism ........................................... 19 D. Hybrid-War Weapon .................................................................................................. 21 E. Lessons from The 9/11 Commission Report ....................................................... 22 III. The Radicalization Process and Targets ................................................................ 25 A. The Recruitment Process: The Shotgun Approach ........................................ 26 B. The Recruiting Process: The Rifle Approach .................................................... 30 C. The Art of Recruitment .............................................................................................. 31 IV. What Is To Be Done? Go Broad, and Go Deep ...................................................... 35 A. Countering Violent Extremism ............................................................................... 36 i. The Behavioral Approach ..................................................................................... 38 ii. Radicalization and Deradicalization................................................................ 41 B. Programs Outside the United States .................................................................... 43 i. The Saudi Experience ............................................................................................. 43 ii. Major European Approaches .............................................................................. 45 C. The United States Today............................................................................................ 48 V. The Solution: The Corporation Against Ideological Violence ......................... 52 A. The Way Forward: First, Approach the Problem ............................................ 53 B. The Way Forward: Establish the Tools ............................................................... 53 C. The Way Forward: Establish Governance .......................................................... 56 D. CAIV’s Organization and Tasks .............................................................................. 58 E. Inherent Difficulties, and Their Solutions .......................................................... 63 VI. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 67 Annex A: The Recruitment Handbook ........................................................................... 69 A. Target Groups for Recruiting .................................................................................. 70 B. The First Stage: Getting Acquainted and Choosing ........................................ 71 C. The Second Stage: Getting Close (or Approaching)........................................ 72 D. Third Stage: The Awakening of Faith .................................................................. 74 i. Shrinking the World ................................................................................................ 76 E. Fourth Stage: Planting the Concepts ...................................................................
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