An End to al-Qaeda: Destroying bin Laden's Jihad and Restoring America's Honor

Intelligence veteran Nance offers a problematic prescription for defeating al-Qaeda in this disappointing polemic. Arguing that bin Laden's objective is “the destruction of traditional Islam” and the “real ideological conflict... is about control of Islam itself,” the author contends that “if we break [al-Qaeda's] spiritual link to the Muslim community, they will be quickly defeated.” Moreover, victory can be achieved not only quickly but also “simply and inexpensively” by employing “simple counter-ideological tools of compassion and debate.” Such an approach requires that the U.S. “reframe ourselves” as “Well-Meaning Ones Who Want to Help” and reframe al-Qaeda “as an exceptionally dangerous armed militant cult.” Toward this end, the author recommends that the U.S. “employ the national bullhorn,” appoint “a new czar” of counterideological warfare, and organize conferences. Noting President Obama's “ability to make people believe his words,” Nance calls the president “[t]he best tool in our quiver.” If the author's conclusions are controversial, the underlying material is mostly derivative, the format approximates PowerPoint, and the style alternates among melodramatic (“raindrops of chaos”), preachy (“[t]he Muslim dream is the American dream”), and pedantic. (Feb.)