Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism: Propaganda and finance in Al Qaeda and Islamic State PDF
Preview Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism: Propaganda and finance in Al Qaeda and Islamic State
R I C Few social and political phenomena have been debated as frequently or H NEOLIBERALISM fervidly as neoliberalism and neo-jihadism.Yet,while discourse on these A phenomena has been wide-ranging, they are rarely examined in relation to R D one another.Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism examines political-economic S characteristics of twentieth- and early twenty-first-century ‘neo-jihadism’. NEO-JIHADISM & Drawing on Bourdieusian and neo-Marxist ideas, it investigates how the neo-jihadist organisations,Al Qaeda and Islamic State, engage with the late N modern capitalist paradigm of neoliberalism in their anti-capitalist propaganda and quasi-capitalist financial practices. E O PROPAGANDA AND FINANCE An investigation of documents and discourses reveals interactions between L neoliberalism and neo-jihadism characterised by surface-level contradiction, I and structural connections that are both dialectical and mutually reinforcing. B IN AL QAEDA AND ISLAMIC STATE Neoliberalism here is argued to constitute an underlying ‘status quo’,while E R neo-jihadism, as an evolving form of political organisation, is perpetuated as part of this situation. A L IMOGEN RICHARDS Representing differentiated, unique, and exclusive examples of the I S (r)evolutionary phenomenon of neo-jihadism,Al Qaeda and Islamic State are M demonstrated to be characteristic of the mutually constitutive nature of ‘power and resistance’. Just as resistance movements throughout modern history & come to resemble the forms of power they sought to overthrow, so too have Al Qaeda and Islamic State reconstituted the dominant political-economic N paradigm of neoliberalism they mobilised in response to. E O - IMOGEN RICHARDS is a Lecturer in Criminology at Deakin University and J I member of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation H A D I S M ISBN-13: 978-1-5261-4320-4 www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism Neoliberalism and neo-jihadism Propaganda and finance in Al Qaeda and Islamic State IMOGEN RICHARDS Manchester University Press Copyright © Imogen Richards 2020 The right of Imogen Richards to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Published by Manchester University Press Altrincham Street, Manchester M1 7JA www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 5261 4320 4 hardback First published 2020 The publisher has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for any external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guar- antee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Typeset by Sunrise Setting, Brixham Contents Acknowledgements vi List of abbreviations viii Introduction 1 1 Neoliberalism, Bourdieu, and neo-Marxism 15 2 Neoliberalism in action 34 3 Al Qaeda’s political-economic propaganda 55 4 Islamic State’s political-economic propaganda 90 5 Al Qaeda’s financial practices 118 6 Islamic State’s financial practices 150 Conclusion 186 References 206 Index 250 Acknowledgements I am indebted to the many colleagues, friends, and family who supported me physically and emotionally in preparing this book. First and fore- most, special thanks go to Richard Jackson and David Whyte for provid- ing invaluable feedback and advice during the writing process. Richard’s advice on potential curative measures for what he termed the ‘epistemo- logical crisis’ of contemporary counterterrorism was in the first instance vital to framing the book’s investigation. The following consideration of how neo-jihadism and US counterterrorism can be conceptualised through a lens of ‘power’ and ‘resistance’ derived from Richard’s contri- butions to peace and conflict research, and the Critical Terrorism Studies field, of which he is a founder. From legal studies and criminology, David’s guidance on information sequencing, streamlining, and overall coherence was also instrumental to my revisions of this work at early stages. Moreover, David’s advice on theoretical debates about political violence within and beyond academia, and the importance of frank author positioning in relation to those debates, informed a central pillar of the book’s argumentation. Criminology departments at Monash and Deakin Universities then provided the resources and opportunities that enabled my pursuit of this research and ultimately made the book possible. Academic and profes- sional staff provided me with opinions and insights from their many combined years of research experience, including through shared sub- and ‘anti’- disciplinary expertise. At Monash, Jude McCulloch provided steadfast support in supervising the research for this book from 2015–2018. Her insights about criminology, political economy, and counterterrorism, significantly shaped my early understanding of issues the book explores. Thanks also must go to Jarrett Blaustein for providing invaluable feed- back and for sharing his perspective of where this work might sit in the broader scholarly field. Jarrett’s knowledge of global governance and theories of power across diverse intellectual traditions was also greatly influential in my initial planning of the investigation. Acknowledgements vii At Deakin University, staff within and beyond the department of criminology were of immense help in their willingness to share perspec- tives on contentious political matters examined in this book. I reflected at various stages of writing on how to discuss with critical and ethical merit matters concerning counter/terrorism. Considerations included in particular my own ‘Global North’ perspectives on developing-nation situations, within a broader context of the criminalisation, suffering, and structural disadvantage experienced by those affected with political violence in various forms. Reece Walters was in particular helpful in bringing such issues into focus and offering encouragement for my approach. Also at Deakin, I extend my appreciation to Mark Wood and Chad Whelan for providing constructive comments on the intersectional nature of political economy, security, and culture with regard to the representation of these subjects in the following chapters. Support and encouragement from Mary Iliadis, Matthew Sharpe, Emma Ryan, Danielle Tyson, Bree Carlton, Andrew Groves, Ian Warren, and many others at Deakin also made the process of preparing for publication much more manageable and enjoyable than would otherwise have been possible. Further appreciation must be extended to Robert Byron, Lucy Burns, Jen Mellor, and the editors and staff at Manchester Uni- versity Press for their positivity, dedication, and professionalism. I am especially thankful to Tim Hyde and the team at Sunrise Setting for their invaluable feedback, advice, and support throughout the produc- tion process. Of my friends, in particular I thank Arwen Johns for reading drafts, listening to all manner of cogitation, and providing perceptive and con- structive insights that made all the difference. Luke Todd, Shane Tas, Max Thurnwald, Craig Willis, Abbey Kendall, and Paris Dean also shared much appreciated enthusiasm about the project and provided me with support in a number of ways – in particular listening to more than a few repetitive reflections and staying positive when my own endurance was waning. Without their enthusiasm and assistance, the process of organising my thoughts for writing, and translating these into practice, would have been significantly more daunting. Finally, I am very grateful to my family for discussing ideas, sharing opinions, and being unwavering in their support. Hayley, Erica, Ryan, Simon, and Deb, you have all borne a lot of reflection and some rumi- nation on my part without complaint. Thanks for your encouragement during these years and for having faith that this exploration would make a meaningful contribution to my life and to the broader social field. Abbreviations 7/7 Al Qaeda attack on the London Underground on 7 July 2005 9/11 Al Qaeda attack on the US on 11 September 2001 ACLU American Civil Liberties Union AQ Al Qaeda AQAP Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula AQI Al Qaeda in Iraq AQIS Al Qaeda in the Islamic Subcontinent BIF Benevolence International Foundation CAT Center for the Analysis of Terrorism CIA Central Intelligence Agency CNN Cable News Network CPA Coalition Provisional Authority CTS Critical Terrorism Studies DFI Development Fund for Iraq FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FATF Financial Action Task Force FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation GCC Gulf Cooperation Council GDP Gross Domestic Product GFC Global Financial Crisis (2008) GI Generation Identity GWOT Global War on Terrorism IBC international business corporation ICSR International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence IFI international financial institution IGC Iraqi Governing Council IMF International Monetary Fund IRRF Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund IS Islamic State Abbreviations ix ISI Inter-Services Intelligence ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ISKP Islamic State Khorasan Province LDC less developed country MAK Maktab al-Khidamat NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NCB National Commercial Bank OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OFAC Office of Foreign Assets Control PDPA People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan PNAC Project for a New American Century SAP structural adjustment programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNOCAL Union Oil Company of California USAID United States Agency for International Development WTO World Trade Organization
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