Daniel Byman is Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service: author of A High Price and Deadly Connections.

"Accessible and helpful for those who are new to the subject or would like more background on this terrorist organization." --Library Journal"[A] good starter for students at many levels interested in gaining a basic understanding of militant Islam" --CHOICE"Invaluable." --The Boston Globe

• Contents ; Introduction ; Chapter One: History ; What Was Impact of the Anti-Soviet Jihad on the Jihadist Movement? ; Did the United States Fund Bin Laden and Al Qaeda? ; Why Was Al Qaeda Founded? ; What Did Al Qaeda Do in the Sudan? ; What Were Al Qaeda's Initial Goals? ; Why Did Al Qaeda Focus on the United States? ; What Was the Role of Egyptian Militants during Al Qaeda's Formative Years? ; What Was Al Qaeda's Relationship with the Taliban before 9/11? ; Chapter Two: Key Attacks and Plots ; Why Were the 1998 Embassy Attacks So Important? ; What Were Al Qaeda's Most Important Attacks before 9/11? ; How Did Al Qaeda Carry Out the 9/11 Attacks? ; Could the 9/11 attacks have been prevented? ; How Did Al Qaeda Justify the 9/11 Attacks? ; What was the fallout from the 9/11 attacks for Al Qaeda? ; What Attacks Has Al Qaeda Done Since 9/11? ; Chapter Three: Strategy and Tactics ; What Are Al Qaeda's Goals Today? ; Does Al Qaeda Have a Strategy? ; How Did Al Qaeda Become a Suicide Bombing Factory? ; How Dangerous Are Lone Wolves? ; What Do You Learn in an Al Qaeda Training Camp? ; Could Al Qaeda Get a Nuclear Weapon? ; Should We Laugh at Al Qaeda? ; Chapter Four: Ideas and Influences ; Key Schools of Thought that Influence Salafi Jihadism ; Who Are the Key Thinkers Jihadists Admire and Read? ; How Does Al Qaeda Differ from the Muslim Brotherhood? ; Why Do Other Jihadists Criticize Al Qaeda? ; How Does Al Qaeda Justify Killing Civilians? ; What Themes Does Al Qaeda Push in Its Propaganda? ; Chapter Five: Organization and Recruitment ; Why Was Bin Laden Such an Effective Leader? ; How Does Ayman al-Zawahiri differ from Bin Laden? ; How Is Al Qaeda Organized? ; So Why Does Al Qaeda Make So Many Mistakes? ; Is There an Al Qaeda Profile? ; How Does Al Qaeda Recruit? ; What is the Role of War? ; What Is the Role of the Internet? ; Where Does Al Qaeda Get Its Money? ; How Does Al Qaeda Spend Its Money? ; Chapter Six: Friends and Enemies ; How Did the 2003 Iraq War Shape Al Qaeda? ; How Does Al Qaeda View Iran and the Shi'a? ; Is Saudi Arabia Secretly Supporting Al Qaeda? ; Why Does Pakistan Support Jihadists? ; What Is the Relationship between Pakistan and Al Qaeda? ; Why Doesn't Pakistan Cooperate More with the United States? ; How Important Is Israel? ; How Do Muslims Perceive Al Qaeda and Why Does It Matter? ; How Did the Arab Spring Affect Al Qaeda? ; Chapter Seven: Beyond the Al Qaeda Core ; What Are the Key Al Qaeda Affiliates? ; Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) ; Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb ; Al Shebaab ; Jabhat al-Nusra (JN) ; What About Like-Minded but Unaffiliated Groups? ; What's In It for Al Qaeda? What's In It for the Affiliates? ; What are the limits of cooperation? ; Does the Al Qaeda Core control the Salafi-jihadist movement anymore? ; So What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Al Qaeda? ; The Islamic State ; Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? ; What Should We Call This Group? ; Where Did the Islamic State Come from? ; Why Did the Islamic State Fight with Al Qaeda? ; What Does the Islamic State Want? ; How Strong Is the Islamic State? ; How Does the Islamic State Publicize Its Cause? ; What is the Khorasan Group? ; Is the Islamic State a Terrorist Threat to the American Homeland? ; Why Did the United States Go to War with the Islamic State? ; Chapter Nine: Counterterrorism ; Isn't Diplomacy Worthless when It Comes to Fighting Terror? ; What Role Does the Legal System Play? ; What about military tribunals, Guantanamo, and other post-9/11 legal measures? ; What Is <"Rendition>" and Why Is It So Controversial? ; How Do We Go After Al Qaeda's Money? ; What is the Role of Military Force? ; What About Drones and Other Air Strikes? ; Do Drones and Other Controversial Tools Result in <"Blowback?>" ; How Do We Collect Intelligence on Al Qaeda? ; How Do Tools Change When Fighting Affiliate Movements? The Broader Cause as a Whole? ; How do we win the war of ideas? ; What is the role of allied governments threatened by terrorists? ; How Does Al Qaeda Adapt? ; How do you counter radicalization? ; What threat does Al Qaeda pose today to Europe? To the United States? ; Can We Defeat Al Qaeda and the Broader Jihadist Movement? ; How Is Fighting the Islamic State Different from Fighting Al Qaeda? ; What Else Should I Read If I Want to Learn More?

Daniel Byman is Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service: author of A High Price and Deadly Connections.

"Accessible and helpful for those who are new to the subject or would like more background on this terrorist organization." --Library Journal"[A] good starter for students at many levels interested in gaining a basic understanding of militant Islam" --CHOICE"Invaluable." --The Boston Globe

• Contents ; Introduction ; Chapter One: History ; What Was Impact of the Anti-Soviet Jihad on the Jihadist Movement? ; Did the United States Fund Bin Laden and Al Qaeda? ; Why Was Al Qaeda Founded? ; What Did Al Qaeda Do in the Sudan? ; What Were Al Qaeda's Initial Goals? ; Why Did Al Qaeda Focus on the United States? ; What Was the Role of Egyptian Militants during Al Qaeda's Formative Years? ; What Was Al Qaeda's Relationship with the Taliban before 9/11? ; Chapter Two: Key Attacks and Plots ; Why Were the 1998 Embassy Attacks So Important? ; What Were Al Qaeda's Most Important Attacks before 9/11? ; How Did Al Qaeda Carry Out the 9/11 Attacks? ; Could the 9/11 attacks have been prevented? ; How Did Al Qaeda Justify the 9/11 Attacks? ; What was the fallout from the 9/11 attacks for Al Qaeda? ; What Attacks Has Al Qaeda Done Since 9/11? ; Chapter Three: Strategy and Tactics ; What Are Al Qaeda's Goals Today? ; Does Al Qaeda Have a Strategy? ; How Did Al Qaeda Become a Suicide Bombing Factory? ; How Dangerous Are Lone Wolves? ; What Do You Learn in an Al Qaeda Training Camp? ; Could Al Qaeda Get a Nuclear Weapon? ; Should We Laugh at Al Qaeda? ; Chapter Four: Ideas and Influences ; Key Schools of Thought that Influence Salafi Jihadism ; Who Are the Key Thinkers Jihadists Admire and Read? ; How Does Al Qaeda Differ from the Muslim Brotherhood? ; Why Do Other Jihadists Criticize Al Qaeda? ; How Does Al Qaeda Justify Killing Civilians? ; What Themes Does Al Qaeda Push in Its Propaganda? ; Chapter Five: Organization and Recruitment ; Why Was Bin Laden Such an Effective Leader? ; How Does Ayman al-Zawahiri differ from Bin Laden? ; How Is Al Qaeda Organized? ; So Why Does Al Qaeda Make So Many Mistakes? ; Is There an Al Qaeda Profile? ; How Does Al Qaeda Recruit? ; What is the Role of War? ; What Is the Role of the Internet? ; Where Does Al Qaeda Get Its Money? ; How Does Al Qaeda Spend Its Money? ; Chapter Six: Friends and Enemies ; How Did the 2003 Iraq War Shape Al Qaeda? ; How Does Al Qaeda View Iran and the Shi'a? ; Is Saudi Arabia Secretly Supporting Al Qaeda? ; Why Does Pakistan Support Jihadists? ; What Is the Relationship between Pakistan and Al Qaeda? ; Why Doesn't Pakistan Cooperate More with the United States? ; How Important Is Israel? ; How Do Muslims Perceive Al Qaeda and Why Does It Matter? ; How Did the Arab Spring Affect Al Qaeda? ; Chapter Seven: Beyond the Al Qaeda Core ; What Are the Key Al Qaeda Affiliates? ; Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) ; Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb ; Al Shebaab ; Jabhat al-Nusra (JN) ; What About Like-Minded but Unaffiliated Groups? ; What's In It for Al Qaeda? What's In It for the Affiliates? ; What are the limits of cooperation? ; Does the Al Qaeda Core control the Salafi-jihadist movement anymore? ; So What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Al Qaeda? ; The Islamic State ; Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? ; What Should We Call This Group? ; Where Did the Islamic State Come from? ; Why Did the Islamic State Fight with Al Qaeda? ; What Does the Islamic State Want? ; How Strong Is the Islamic State? ; How Does the Islamic State Publicize Its Cause? ; What is the Khorasan Group? ; Is the Islamic State a Terrorist Threat to the American Homeland? ; Why Did the United States Go to War with the Islamic State? ; Chapter Nine: Counterterrorism ; Isn't Diplomacy Worthless when It Comes to Fighting Terror? ; What Role Does the Legal System Play? ; What about military tribunals, Guantanamo, and other post-9/11 legal measures? ; What Is <"Rendition>" and Why Is It So Controversial? ; How Do We Go After Al Qaeda's Money? ; What is the Role of Military Force? ; What About Drones and Other Air Strikes? ; Do Drones and Other Controversial Tools Result in <"Blowback?>" ; How Do We Collect Intelligence on Al Qaeda? ; How Do Tools Change When Fighting Affiliate Movements? The Broader Cause as a Whole? ; How do we win the war of ideas? ; What is the role of allied governments threatened by terrorists? ; How Does Al Qaeda Adapt? ; How do you counter radicalization? ; What threat does Al Qaeda pose today to Europe? To the United States? ; Can We Defeat Al Qaeda and the Broader Jihadist Movement? ; How Is Fighting the Islamic State Different from Fighting Al Qaeda? ; What Else Should I Read If I Want to Learn More?

Daniel Byman is Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service: author of A High Price and Deadly Connections.

"Accessible and helpful for those who are new to the subject or would like more background on this terrorist organization." --Library Journal"[A] good starter for students at many levels interested in gaining a basic understanding of militant Islam" --CHOICE"Invaluable." --The Boston Globe

• Contents ; Introduction ; Chapter One: History ; What Was Impact of the Anti-Soviet Jihad on the Jihadist Movement? ; Did the United States Fund Bin Laden and Al Qaeda? ; Why Was Al Qaeda Founded? ; What Did Al Qaeda Do in the Sudan? ; What Were Al Qaeda's Initial Goals? ; Why Did Al Qaeda Focus on the United States? ; What Was the Role of Egyptian Militants during Al Qaeda's Formative Years? ; What Was Al Qaeda's Relationship with the Taliban before 9/11? ; Chapter Two: Key Attacks and Plots ; Why Were the 1998 Embassy Attacks So Important? ; What Were Al Qaeda's Most Important Attacks before 9/11? ; How Did Al Qaeda Carry Out the 9/11 Attacks? ; Could the 9/11 attacks have been prevented? ; How Did Al Qaeda Justify the 9/11 Attacks? ; What was the fallout from the 9/11 attacks for Al Qaeda? ; What Attacks Has Al Qaeda Done Since 9/11? ; Chapter Three: Strategy and Tactics ; What Are Al Qaeda's Goals Today? ; Does Al Qaeda Have a Strategy? ; How Did Al Qaeda Become a Suicide Bombing Factory? ; How Dangerous Are Lone Wolves? ; What Do You Learn in an Al Qaeda Training Camp? ; Could Al Qaeda Get a Nuclear Weapon? ; Should We Laugh at Al Qaeda? ; Chapter Four: Ideas and Influences ; Key Schools of Thought that Influence Salafi Jihadism ; Who Are the Key Thinkers Jihadists Admire and Read? ; How Does Al Qaeda Differ from the Muslim Brotherhood? ; Why Do Other Jihadists Criticize Al Qaeda? ; How Does Al Qaeda Justify Killing Civilians? ; What Themes Does Al Qaeda Push in Its Propaganda? ; Chapter Five: Organization and Recruitment ; Why Was Bin Laden Such an Effective Leader? ; How Does Ayman al-Zawahiri differ from Bin Laden? ; How Is Al Qaeda Organized? ; So Why Does Al Qaeda Make So Many Mistakes? ; Is There an Al Qaeda Profile? ; How Does Al Qaeda Recruit? ; What is the Role of War? ; What Is the Role of the Internet? ; Where Does Al Qaeda Get Its Money? ; How Does Al Qaeda Spend Its Money? ; Chapter Six: Friends and Enemies ; How Did the 2003 Iraq War Shape Al Qaeda? ; How Does Al Qaeda View Iran and the Shi'a? ; Is Saudi Arabia Secretly Supporting Al Qaeda? ; Why Does Pakistan Support Jihadists? ; What Is the Relationship between Pakistan and Al Qaeda? ; Why Doesn't Pakistan Cooperate More with the United States? ; How Important Is Israel? ; How Do Muslims Perceive Al Qaeda and Why Does It Matter? ; How Did the Arab Spring Affect Al Qaeda? ; Chapter Seven: Beyond the Al Qaeda Core ; What Are the Key Al Qaeda Affiliates? ; Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) ; Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb ; Al Shebaab ; Jabhat al-Nusra (JN) ; What About Like-Minded but Unaffiliated Groups? ; What's In It for Al Qaeda? What's In It for the Affiliates? ; What are the limits of cooperation? ; Does the Al Qaeda Core control the Salafi-jihadist movement anymore? ; So What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Al Qaeda? ; The Islamic State ; Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? ; What Should We Call This Group? ; Where Did the Islamic State Come from? ; Why Did the Islamic State Fight with Al Qaeda? ; What Does the Islamic State Want? ; How Strong Is the Islamic State? ; How Does the Islamic State Publicize Its Cause? ; What is the Khorasan Group? ; Is the Islamic State a Terrorist Threat to the American Homeland? ; Why Did the United States Go to War with the Islamic State? ; Chapter Nine: Counterterrorism ; Isn't Diplomacy Worthless when It Comes to Fighting Terror? ; What Role Does the Legal System Play? ; What about military tribunals, Guantanamo, and other post-9/11 legal measures? ; What Is <"Rendition>" and Why Is It So Controversial? ; How Do We Go After Al Qaeda's Money? ; What is the Role of Military Force? ; What About Drones and Other Air Strikes? ; Do Drones and Other Controversial Tools Result in <"Blowback?>" ; How Do We Collect Intelligence on Al Qaeda? ; How Do Tools Change When Fighting Affiliate Movements? The Broader Cause as a Whole? ; How do we win the war of ideas? ; What is the role of allied governments threatened by terrorists? ; How Does Al Qaeda Adapt? ; How do you counter radicalization? ; What threat does Al Qaeda pose today to Europe? To the United States? ; Can We Defeat Al Qaeda and the Broader Jihadist Movement? ; How Is Fighting the Islamic State Different from Fighting Al Qaeda? ; What Else Should I Read If I Want to Learn More?