Author: Phil Gurski

Gurski, a former Canadian intelligence analyst, provides an excellent survey of armed conflicts involving what he refers to as ‘lesser jihads,’ or the most extreme and intolerant Islamic terrorists who view the world as a zero-sum game. Chapters are organized by region as Gurski walks the reader through cases where Muslims are at times the aggressors, but also frequently the victims. Through brief case discussions, he demonstrates that regardless of local and underlying causes, violence against Muslims anywhere has been presented by Islamic terrorists via social media as a worldwide offensive against traditional Islam, or what he terms the ‘ummahfication of war.’ External actors feed into this narrative through foreign military intervention in some cases and through neglect in others, helping to explain the transnational migration of foreign fighters. Gurksi concludes with valuable lessons and suggested approaches by external actors to make the ummahfication of war narrative less effective. Readers will find the book interesting and insightful.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. ― Choice Reviews