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Cargando... The Wahhabi Code: How the Saudis Spread Extremism Globallypor Terence Ward
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An Eye-Opening, Concise Look at the Source of the Current Wave of Terrorism, How it Spread, and Why the West Did Nothing Lifting the mask of international terrorism, Terence Ward reveals a sinister truth. Far from being "the West's ally in the War on Terror," Saudi Arabia is in reality the largest exporter of Wahhabism--the severe, ultra-conservative sect of Islam that is both Saudi Arabia's official religion and the core ideology for international terror groups such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Boko Haram. Over decades, the Saudi regime has engaged in a well-crafted mission to fund charities, mosques, and schools that promote their Wahhabi doctrine across the Middle East and beyond. Efforts to expand Saudi influence have now been focused on European cities as well. The front lines of the War of Terror aren't a world away; they are much closer than we can imagine. Terence Ward, who has spent much of his life in the Middle East, gives his unique insight into the culture of extremism, its rapid expansion, and how it can be stopped. No se han encontrado descripciones de biblioteca. |
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Google Books — Cargando... GénerosSistema Decimal Melvil (DDC)297.814Religions Other Religions Islam, Babism, Bahai Faith By Division, Sect, or Movement SunniClasificación de la Biblioteca del CongresoValoraciónPromedio:
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Also, I was not aware that there had been some efforts by Muslims from the other three main streams of more moderate Islam to reject the Wahabi creed.In addition I had not really focused on the fact that the Wahhabi sect was really relatively recent....founded about 200 years ago. (I found myself thinking that the Puritans were a similar fundamentalist offshoot of Christianity ...but maybe without the harsh executions etc....On the other hand,19 of the "witches of Salem" were hung for their "sins").
I think Ward makes his points very well that the Saud family have appropriated power in Saudi Arabia in an alliance with the Wahhabi religious sect and have massively financed the spread of these doctrines internationally through the funding of schools, preachers, literature etc. He also makes a strong case that most of the violence of Islam can be traced back to Saudi Arabia via direct support or financing or through the offshoot schools. I lived in Malaysia in the 1980's where there was a fairly mild stream of Islam but over the years it has become more strident and fundamentalist.....with more than hints of corruption of the previous Prime Minister via "loans" from Saudi Arabia.
I also did some work in Saudi Arabia and must say that I was impressed with the calibre of the men that I worked with (no women of course). But these guys were hard working, smart and friendly. But it was not a relaxed atmosphere...full of prohibitions and discrimination against immigrant workers. (I witnessed some poor immigrant worker at the airport struggling in a massive queue, to get out of the country, being abused and sent to the back of the queue simply because he had overstepped an invisible line on the floor). And there was the undercurrent that everyone was being watched by secret police.
The current Crown Prince gets some attention from Ward....both as a proselytiser of Wahhabism and as a mover and shaker who was going to modernise Saudi Arabia and curb the power of the religious leaders. But all of this was prior to the assassination of Adnan Kashoggi in the Turkish Embassy with apparent direct links (according the the US intelligence report) back to the Crown Prince. It remains to be seen whether or how he will survive the taint associated with this brutal murder.
Perhaps, more important might be the move away from oil to sustainable energy. Though here, I suspect the Saudis are ahead of the game and have been moving steadily into the production of petrochemicals as a way of diversifying and adding value to their oil reserves.
This is not a long book and reads (more or less as the author sets it out) as a briefing document for his interested and intelligent Italian niece. It is mildly scary, assuming what he says to be correct ...and he doesn't really touch on the use of the Israeli hacking software enabling Saudi Intelligence to tap the phones of dissidents abroad. (Is this any worse than the Israeli's, Americans, or Russians are doing? I'm not sure but it's certainly not nice). Not a great book but certainly very interesting. I give it 3.5 stars. ( )