Shadow Wars

Introduction   1  Counter-revolution – A Pattern Emerges Lessons from the past – nothing is new Lessons from the past – the preventive counter-revolutions Britain’s hungry empire The threat from Arab nationalism Trouble on the Arabian Peninsula – revolution reaches Yemen The contagion spreads – the Sultanate of Oman The smaller sheikhdoms – preventive measures   2  Cold War, Oil War – America Takes Over America’s even hungrier empire America’s global counter-revolution America’s Middle East – special treatment for a special case Removing the rivals – Iranian democracy Removing the rivals – taking on the Arabs Strengthening the status quo – the arms trade Strengthening the status quo – military bases Strengthening the status quo – mercenaries   3  The Road to al-Qaeda – The CIA’s Baby Searching for an Islamic state – Britain’s caliphate Searching for an Islamic state – Wahhabism and the Muslim Brotherhood Mobilizing jihad – the case of Afghanistan Operation Cyclone – Anglo-American jihad Foreign fighters, foreign cash The Islamic Republic of Iran – a secret relationship   4  Allied to Jihad – Useful Idiots The Taliban – America’s new ally Keeping bin Laden on board The war against Serbia – Bosnian jihad The war against Serbia – Kosovan jihad The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group – Britain’s new ally The road to 9/11 – managing blowback 9/11 – saving Saudi Arabia 9/11 – protecting the funding networks The fake ‘War on Terror’ – Afghanistan The fake ‘War on Terror’ – Iraq   5  The Arab Spring – A System Threatened A new challenge, a new hope The road to 2011 – regimes in decay Tunisia – the Jasmine Revolution Egypt – the Republic of Tahrir Yemen – revolution in Arabia Breaking the fear barrier – a chance for cosmopolitanism The economic storm – enter neo-liberalism The economic storm – the rise of crony capitalism The economic storm – the rise of Gulf capitalism From modernizing Arabs to revolutionary Arabs Cosmopolitan communications – from satellites to social media   6  Plan ‘A’ – Islamists Versus the Deep State The need for counter-revolution Egypt – back to the Brotherhood Egypt – an uneasy alliance Egypt – military dictatorship Egypt – ‘Sisi mania’ Egypt – the Qatar connection Egypt – Saudi Arabia takes on the Brotherhood Tunisia – under pressure Tunisia – sleepwalking to counter-revolution Yemen – outmanoeuvring the Arab Spring Bahrain – the forgotten revolution   7  Plan ‘B’ – A Fake Arab Spring Containable protests Axis against axis – faking the Arab Spring Libya – Gaddafi’s strange regime Libya – flirting with neo-liberalism Libya – not so supplicant Libya – the uprising Libya – subverting the National Transitional Council Libya – NATO takes action Libya – an international crime Libya – the scramble for assets Libya – a role for al-Qaeda Libya – searching for a Sisi Syria – parallel plans Syria – the uprising begins Syria – preparing for intervention Syria – enter the proxies Syria – arming the rebels Syria – searching for the ‘red line’ Syria – back to the battlefield Syria – the media war Yemen – a painful intervention Yemen – bringing back al-Qaeda   8  Enter the Islamic State – A Phantom Menace Al-Qaeda’s limits The need for ‘national jihadists’ Iraq – the incubation chamber Iraq – the emerging Islamic State Iraq – the proto-caliphate The Islamic State – mysterious new leadership The Islamic State – a persuasive ideology Opportunities in Syria Expansion in Iraq The caliphate restored The resurrection of Saddam Hussein ‘Remaining and expanding’ – services and recruitment ‘Remaining and expanding’ – masters of propaganda   9  The Islamic State – A Strategic Asset Qui bono – to whose profit? The manufacturing of evil – the new bogeyman The business of evil – a history of cashing in The business of evil – the arms industry bonanza Surprise, surprise – the Islamic State came from nowhere The strangest road to war A campaign of contradictions Explaining failure – the official line Suspicions mount – challenging the narrative Follow the money – the self-funding narrative Follow the money – the Islamic State’s funders Funders need facilitators – the role of Turkey   10 The Islamic State – A Gift That Keeps Giving The return of the ‘War on Terror’ The Islamic State in Libya The Islamic State in Yemen The fight for Mali Boko Haram – Nigeria under attack Boko Haram – the shift to the Islamic State Boko Haram – generous sponsors Boko Haram – delivering results Beyond Panetta – other pledges to the Islamic State Russia and China – superpower implications   Epilogue – Keeping the Wheel Turning Getting business back to usual The exploitation of Egypt Wild card number one – opening up Iran A new Iran, a new sectarian war Wild card number two – American oil A new Saudi Arabia, a new chapter   Notes Index