Countering Heedless Jihad: Toward a Field Manual for Intellectual Sabotage

Using concepts that are not already a part of the militant discourse as a way to undermine extremism, Countering Heedless Jihad explores a stratagem aimed at defusing jihadist ideology. It explains how to counteract idealist theology using concepts from it, borrowing ideas from some revered Islamic theologians and positioning them in a way that sabotages jihadist ideology. By integrating the theology with viable methods for dissemination, it presents a viable means for confusing existing members of radical groups and for neutralizing their recruiting effort. The book includes contributions by Major General Michael Lehnert, USMC; U.S. Ambassador David J. Dunford; and Dr. Khuram Iqbal.

Table of Contents:
Foreword: Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert, USMC Introduction: U.S. Ambassador David J. Dunford Command and Control Chapter One: The Staging Area Intellectual Sabotage vs. COINTheology vs. Social ScienceViolent Anti-rationalistsBasics of DeceptionEthics and Human RightsTribal Strategies and Multiple IdentitiesChapter Two: Abu Bakr and Black Propaganda Operation Abu-BakrSermonsE-magazinesContent for BluejackingTheological OrdersChapter Three: Umar and Electronic Delivery Operation UmarVideo and Sound FilesBluejackingWeb SpoofingHacking and DefacingE-magazinesChapter Four: Uthman and Citizen Saboteurs Operation UthmanCase OfficersRecruitersTraining CampCitizen SaboteursChapter Five: Ali and Stability Operations Operation AliCharityWaqfMicro-lendingMusharakahConclusion Basic Communication Model and Countering Extremists’ Narrative: Dr. Khuram Iqbal Appendix: Shia Islam

About the Author :
James A. Sheppard is President of Thomas University and author of Christendom at the Crossroads: the medieval era (2005). Along with U.S. Ambassador David Swartz, he co-founded the Center for Belarusian Studies and has written about the roles of Turkey and Belarus in relation to Russian aggression. Contributors: David J. Dunford served forthree years as U.S. Ambassador to Oman and four years as Deputy Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the 1990-91 Gulf War. Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert, USMC was commissioned in 1973 as a combat engineer and participated in combat operations in Panama, Kuwait, and Iraq. In 2003 he led 5,000 Marines and sailors during the initial invasion of Iraq in support of the 70,000 Marines who formed the I Marine Expeditionary Force. During his 37 years of active duty, he held 13 separate commands from platoon commander to joint task force commander. He commanded the marine logistics group during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Khuram Iqbal teaches and researches at the National Defence University of Pakistan where he serves an Assistant Professor of Counter-Terrorism. He is a recipient of the “Terrorism Study Analyst Award” from the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) in Singapore.

Review :
In this innovative manual for the professional and interested layman alike, Sheppard has taken aim squarely at a problem that has shackled the West’s “War on Terror” for nearly two decades now: how to delegitimize radical ideology without appearing to attack Islam itself. Politicians seldom come closer than broad platitudes about the benign nature of Islam that fail to ring true with jihadis, their supporters, and their audiences in the Muslim world. Sheppard’s insight is that the extremist message, while rooted in religious imagery and theology, is at heart a war-fighting doctrine, an ideology forged to advance political and military purposes. As such, it is susceptible to sabotage and confusion. The trick is to find the right tools. Sheppard proposes a wide range of tactics and techniques, such as selecting the right messengers and making clever use of the Internet-based multimedia outlets use by the radicals themselves, with which to cross-wire militant ideology from within. Countering Heedless Jihad is an insightful and comprehensive guide to a neglected but vital battlefield.