Overview

Fountainhead of Jihad is the first in-depth study of the history, links, and organisational logic of the Haqqani network. Drawing upon a wealth of previously unresearched primary sources in many languages, the authors shed much new light on a group frequently described as the most lethal actor in the current Afghan insurgency, and shown here to have been for decades at the centre of a nexus of transnational Islamist militancy, fostering the development of jihadi organisations from Southeast Asia to East Africa. Addressing the abundant new evidence documenting the Haqqani network's pivotal role in the birth and evolution of the global jihadi movement, the book also represents a significant advance in our knowledge of the history of al-Qaeda, fundamentally altering the picture painted by the existing literature on the subject.

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9781849042079

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Reviews

'Rassler and Brown allow us to dive deep into sources never analysed before on Jalaluddin Haqqani, Afghanistan's pioneer of militant Islamism, and his (in)famous network. They have dug out an impressive amount of information that will be invaluable for Afghanistan and Taliban watchers. All in all, a highly useful contribution to explaining the ambiguities of the south-eastern wing of the Afghan insurgent movement.' - Thomas Ruttig, co-director and senior analyst with the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network and author of 'Loya Paktia's Insurgency: The Haqqani Network as an Autonomous Entity', in A. Giustozzi (ed.), Decoding the New Taliban 'Fountainhead of Jihad brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of new information on the history of the wars in Afghanistan, and that of al-Qaeda. Through meticulous research on hard-to-get primary sources, it traces the history of one of the fiercest foes of the Western forces in Afghanistan today. I would call it the definitive study of the Haqqani network, were it not for the fact that the Haqqanis will continue to play a crucial role in the region for years to come.' - Thomas Hegghammer, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment; author of The Meccan Rebellion and Jihad in Saudi Arabia

'A fascinatingly detailed new book ... Brown and Rassler bring out the deep rootedness of the Haqqanis in the history and culture of this region, on both sides of a Durand Line which as far as the locals are concerned has always been largely theoretical.' - Anatol Lieven, New York Review of Books 'Fountainhead of Jihad is the definitive account of the rise of the most effective of the insurgent groups now waging war along the Afghan-Pakistan border, which should come as no surprise to those familiar with the work of its authors.' - Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden, from 9/11 to Abbottabad 'Compelling - Fountainhead of Jihad suggests we will have to rethink our understanding of the Haqqani network, its motivation and its worldview at a crucial time, just as international forces withdraw and pressure for peace talks intensifies. - In placing the Haqqani network not so much at the centre of the extremist nexus but at its origin, this book makes an important contribution to our understanding of Afghan and Pakistani militant groups. And it has obvious implications for the terms of any eventual peace settlement, which could well see the Haqqanis taking control of its south-eastern heartland.' - Rob Crilly, The Daily Telegraph 'Fountainhead of Jihad brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of new information on the history of the wars in Afghanistan, and that of al-Qaeda. Through meticulous research on hard-to-get primary sources, it traces the history of one of the fiercest foes of the Western forces in Afghanistan today. I would call it the definitive study of the Haqqani network, were it not for the fact that the Haqqanis will continue to play a crucial role in the region for years to come.' - Thomas Hegghammer, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment; author of The Meccan Rebellion and Jihad in Saudi Arabia 'Rassler and Brown allow us to dive deep into sources never analysed before on Jalaluddin Haqqani, Afghanistan's pioneer of militant Islamism, and his (in)famous network. They have dug out an impressive amount of information that will be invaluable for Afghanistan and Taliban watchers. All in all, a highly useful contribution to explaining the ambiguities of the south-eastern wing of the Afghan insurgent movement.' - Thomas Ruttig, co-director and senior analyst with the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network and author of 'Loya Paktia's Insurgency: The Haqqani Network as an Autonomous Entity', in A. Giustozzi (ed.), Decoding the New Taliban 'Fountainhead of Jihad is a groundbreaking research work by two recognized specialists of the region who have accessed extremely valuable primary sources never studied before. It deconstructs the commonly held view that the Haqqani network is a local actor preoccupied with local concerns and shows very convincingly how Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network evolved together and have remained intertwined throughout their history. It also shows how the Haqqanis keep sheltering and supporting groups engaged in global jihad.' - Mariam Abou Zabab, coauthor of Islamist Networks: The Afghan-Pakistan Connection

'Rassler and Brown allow us to dive deep into sources never analysed before on Jalaluddin Haqqani, Afghanistan's pioneer of militant Islamism, and his (in)famous network. They have dug out an impressive amount of information that will be invaluable for Afghanistan and Taliban watchers. All in all, a highly useful contribution to explaining the ambiguities of the south-eastern wing of the Afghan insurgent movement.' - Thomas Ruttig, co-director and senior analyst with the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network and author of 'Loya Paktia's Insurgency: The Haqqani Network as an Autonomous Entity', in A. Giustozzi (ed.), Decoding the New Taliban

Author Information

Don Rassler is an Instructor in the Department of Social Sciences and an Associate at the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC ) at the US Military Academy, where he manages the CTC 's South Asia research program. He holds an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Vahid Brown is a specialist in the history of Islamist militancy and is the author of Cracks in the Foundation: Leadership Schisms in al-Qa'ida, 1989-2006. He is also a PhD student at Princeton University.

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