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How to Win a Cosmic War: Confronting Radical Religion Kindle Edition
by Reza Aslan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 126 ratings
240 pages
1 March 2011
Product description Review
Compelling, penetrative and timely. If more of us in the West grasp Aslan's arguments, we will begin to win the war of ideas against Jihadists and extremists. ― Ed Husain, author of The Islamist
excellent ― paul sims, Guardian
absorbing, thought-provoking and illuminating... Few writers are as well qualified to tackle the terrain... Aslan's book represents nothing less than a call to arms, a clear-eyed and impassioned remidner that the most effective way to win a cosmic war is to triumph in the battle for hearts and minds at home. ― Sarfraz Manzoor, Guardian
What is refreshing about Aslan's book is its breadth and its impartiality. ― Telegraph
'Offers a very persuasive argument for the best way to counter jihadism." ― The Washington Post --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
About the Author
Reza Aslan's No God but God was shortlisted for the 2005 Guardian First Book Award in the UK and nominated for a PEN USA award for research Non-Fiction. He has studied religions at the universities of Santa Clara, Harvard and California, Santa Barbara, and holds an MFA in fiction from the Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, where he was also visiting assistant professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. His work has appeared in the Nation, Slate, and the New York Times. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From the Back Cover
Praise for No God but God:
'Reza Aslan's No God But God is just the history of Islam I needed, judicious and truly illuminating.' A.S. Byatt, Guardian Books of the Year 2005
'A revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried... [Aslan's]...careful scholarship and precise language dismantle...false claims and commands... Aslan is acutely perceptive.' Independent
'Aslan...is a superb narrator, bringing each century to life with vivid details and present tense narration that make popular history so enthralling... Illuminating... Aslan is superb on the origins and richness of Islam.... A terrific read.' Glasgow Herald
'Enthralling. A book of tremendous clarity and generosity of spirit.' Jim Crace
'Aslan is an engaging writer, his strength lies...as an observer of contemporary challenges facing Islam... Sensitive and generous' Financial Times
'Grippingly narrated and thoughtfully examined... A literate, accessible introduction to Islam...carefully placing its message and rituals in historical context.' New York Times--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From the Inside Flap
Cosmic War: an unwinnable, unloseable religious battle of identity in which participants divide the world into black and white, good and evil, us and them
Why do they hate us? An entire cottage industry has arisen to answer this question. But what no one has really figured out is who exactly 'they' are - al-Qaeda? Islamic nationalists? Fundamentalist zealots? The whole Muslim world?In How to Win a Cosmic War, Reza Aslan uses the history of religion to explore twenty-first Jihadism and the so-called 'War on Terror', and offers a radically provocative and timely explanation of these two catastrophic phenomena.
The acclaimed author of No God But God (shortlisted for the 2005 Guardian First Book Award) lays out, for the first time, a comprehensive definition of the movement behind and surrounding al-Qaeda, a global ideology properly termed Jihadism. Contrasting twenty-first-century religious extremism across Christianity, Judaism and Islam with its historical antecedents, Aslan demonstrates that while modern Jihadis may have legitimate social grievances - the suffering of the Palestinians, American support for Arab dictators, the presence of foreign troops in Muslim lands - they have no real goals or actual agenda. Their war is not real: it is a metaphysical conflict, a Cosmic War, fought between the forces of good and evil. And since 9/11 western governments have been inciting this conflict, playing into the Jihadis' hands: for the 'War on Terror' is the war they want.
How do we win a Cosmic War? By refusing to fight in one. And in this definitive new study of an ongoing and unprecedented conflict, Reza Aslan offers some surprising conclusions as to how this can be achieved.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Book Description
Acclaimed author Reza Aslan dissects two of the most devastating ideologies of our times - Jihadism and the 'War on Terror'. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
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Print length : 240 pages
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Book Description
Acclaimed author Reza Aslan dissects two of the most devastating ideologies of our times - Jihadism and the 'War on Terror'. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Read less
---------------
Print length : 240 pages
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
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u.m.y
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, especially for beginners.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 June 2017
Verified Purchase
If you are beginning to learn about worldly violence and the role religion plays within it, then this book is the place to start. The reason why it fantastic for beginners is simply because it is easy to read. People with some background knowledge will also benefit as the book focuses upon the Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity & Islam. It places heavy focus on contemporary violence in all three religions and touches upon historical background. In Judaism, Aslan sketches the Zealots and the destruction of the first temple in 70AD all the way to the Zionism and the formation of Israel on the first of May 1948. Aslan looks at the crusades an contrasts modern day Cosmic Dualism (the main thesis of his work, the clash of civilisations, good vs evil) Global Jihadism and the Bush Administration.
My favourite part of the book is when Aslan focuses upon islamism and democracy. Normally, people, particularly in the west, would look at disgust with Islamist organisation who hold ideas which seem the anti-thesis to Liberalism. People may say that Islamist ideas are what underpin the Global Jihadist movement, and to tackle the latter we need to tackle the former. However, Aslan presents a convincing case whereby allowing Islamist parties to partake in democratic elections may be a way to repel people from turning to Global Jihadism.
Aslan also gives a balanced perspective. Some reviews here say that Aslan never criticised the Muslim community yet criticised a lot of American institutions. However, Aslan points out a fundamental and dangerous concept that is widespread in the Muslim world -- takfeerism. Takfir is a widespread doctrine practiced by a number of Muslims, simply put, it is the action of calling some one a Kafir (disbeliever) or a group of people Kuffar. Both the Ulema and Global Jihadists practice this concept. Aslan takes time sketching the history of takfeerism by recalling Ibn Taymiyah, he then takes time to show how dangerous such concept really is for Muslims to practice today.
One negative about this book is that it only talks about everything up to 2007 which means that it misses everything from then on to today. Therefore, the rise of ISIL is not talked about. An evaluation of Obamas presidency is not talked about (which if Aslan reviewed again would come to a different conclusion in his book) and the Syrian civil war is not talked about. Therefore, this book is only good for a good background to the events today. Most of the ideas presented in the book still stand though.
In conclusion, if you are going to buy a book that deals with issues of religion and violence, then do not hesitate to start here!
Read less
2 people found this helpfulReport abuse
spotty
5.0 out of 5 stars very comprehensive and intelligent history and discussion of the problems of Islam and ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 October 2014
Verified Purchase
very comprehensive and intelligent history and discussion of the problems of Islam and the `Middle East'. This writer has a thorough understanding of his subject and is able to put very opposite and entrenched positions into a proper perspective.
5 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Helen
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book and was delivered rather quicklyReviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 March 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent book and was delivered rather quickly. I recommend for anyone that is interested in religions and the current situations in the world. The author has a way of explaining things that will be easy even for those with little knowledge of the topic.
There are 0 reviews and 0 ratings from Australia
Top reviews from other countries
u.m.y
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, especially for beginners.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 June 2017
Verified Purchase
If you are beginning to learn about worldly violence and the role religion plays within it, then this book is the place to start. The reason why it fantastic for beginners is simply because it is easy to read. People with some background knowledge will also benefit as the book focuses upon the Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity & Islam. It places heavy focus on contemporary violence in all three religions and touches upon historical background. In Judaism, Aslan sketches the Zealots and the destruction of the first temple in 70AD all the way to the Zionism and the formation of Israel on the first of May 1948. Aslan looks at the crusades an contrasts modern day Cosmic Dualism (the main thesis of his work, the clash of civilisations, good vs evil) Global Jihadism and the Bush Administration.
My favourite part of the book is when Aslan focuses upon islamism and democracy. Normally, people, particularly in the west, would look at disgust with Islamist organisation who hold ideas which seem the anti-thesis to Liberalism. People may say that Islamist ideas are what underpin the Global Jihadist movement, and to tackle the latter we need to tackle the former. However, Aslan presents a convincing case whereby allowing Islamist parties to partake in democratic elections may be a way to repel people from turning to Global Jihadism.
Aslan also gives a balanced perspective. Some reviews here say that Aslan never criticised the Muslim community yet criticised a lot of American institutions. However, Aslan points out a fundamental and dangerous concept that is widespread in the Muslim world -- takfeerism. Takfir is a widespread doctrine practiced by a number of Muslims, simply put, it is the action of calling some one a Kafir (disbeliever) or a group of people Kuffar. Both the Ulema and Global Jihadists practice this concept. Aslan takes time sketching the history of takfeerism by recalling Ibn Taymiyah, he then takes time to show how dangerous such concept really is for Muslims to practice today.
One negative about this book is that it only talks about everything up to 2007 which means that it misses everything from then on to today. Therefore, the rise of ISIL is not talked about. An evaluation of Obamas presidency is not talked about (which if Aslan reviewed again would come to a different conclusion in his book) and the Syrian civil war is not talked about. Therefore, this book is only good for a good background to the events today. Most of the ideas presented in the book still stand though.
In conclusion, if you are going to buy a book that deals with issues of religion and violence, then do not hesitate to start here!
Read less
2 people found this helpfulReport abuse
spotty
5.0 out of 5 stars very comprehensive and intelligent history and discussion of the problems of Islam and ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 October 2014
Verified Purchase
very comprehensive and intelligent history and discussion of the problems of Islam and the `Middle East'. This writer has a thorough understanding of his subject and is able to put very opposite and entrenched positions into a proper perspective.
5 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Helen
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book and was delivered rather quicklyReviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 March 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent book and was delivered rather quickly. I recommend for anyone that is interested in religions and the current situations in the world. The author has a way of explaining things that will be easy even for those with little knowledge of the topic.
===
How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror
by Reza Aslan
3.98 · Rating details · 1,632 ratings · 186 reviews
A cosmic war is a religious war. It is a battle not between armies or nations, but between the forces of good and evil, a war in which God is believed to be directly engaged on behalf of one side against the other.
The hijackers who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, thought they were fighting a cosmic war. According to award-winning writer and scholar of religions Reza Aslan, by infusing the United States War on Terror with the same kind of religiously polarizing rhetoric and Manichean worldview, is also fighting a cosmic war-a war that can't be won.
How to Win a Cosmic War""is both an in-depth study of the ideology fueling al-Qa'ida, the Taliban, and like-minded militants throughout the Muslim world, and an exploration of religious violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Surveying the global scene from Israel to Iraq and from New York to the Netherlands, Aslan argues that religion is a stronger force today than it has been in a century. At a time when religion and politics are increasingly sharing the same vocabulary and functioning in the same sphere, Aslan writes that we must strip the conflicts of our world-in particular, the War on Terror-of their religious connotations and address the earthly grievances that always lie behind the cosmic impulse.
How do you win a cosmic war? By refusing to fight in one. (less)
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Hardcover, 228 pages
Published April 21st 2009 by Random House (NY) (first published 2009)
Original TitleHow to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror
ISBN1400066727 (ISBN13: 9781400066728)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Other Editions (16)
Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization
Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization
Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization
How to Win a Cosmic War: Confronting Radical Religion
How to Win a Cosmic War: Confronting Radical Religion
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Ana
Oct 28, 2015Ana rated it really liked it
Shelves: history, religion-or-spirituality, politics, north-american-literature, 21st-century, non-fiction, united-states-literature, western-asian-literature, middle-eastern-literature, iranian-literature
This book explains how extremists think and how they affect the world (Extremist = a person who holds extreme political or religious views, especially one who advocates illegal, violent, or other extreme action.) Evangelicals, jihadists, you name it, Aslan takes them on and explains their role in the post 9/11 middle-east conflict.
This book may shock you if you think of extremists as irrational, evil beings and it may surprise you just how much social justice and extremism have in common.
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Jennavier
Jan 10, 2012Jennavier rated it it was ok
I was really unimpressed by this book. I'm unsure of what the author was trying to say. It's not just that he didn't answer his questions as that he never really posed questions to start with. On top of that he would start to pose interesting and inflammatory questions and then step back, leaving them on their own. It was like throwing firecrackers around as if they were chicken feed, unwilling to actually place them somewhere that can be useful. He also made a lot of sweeping historical generalizations that I do not appreciate. A lot of this book is Aslan's opinion dressed up as fact. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. (less)
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Jack
May 18, 2009Jack rated it really liked it
Although principally billed as an analysis and commentary on the so-called 'War on Terror' (ie - against Islamic Jihadists), the book is actually a wider discussion on religion, identity and violence. Perhaps the concept that bests summarizes his thoughts is that of al-wala' wal-bara', which would roughly translate to "faith and infidelity"; a "us vs. them" paradigm. A battle between those who share the same beliefs, and those who do not. This is not purely a Islam and Christianity treatise, but includes how this dichotomy can result in internal schisms - Zealots vs Jewish collaborators with Rome, or Jihadists against the "Near Enemy" - a fellow Muslim that have been deemed 'kafir' or an infidel.
For the most part, Reza does not demonize any sides, combining the right dose of analysis, passion and personal anecdotes. But, there is the slight exception to the Christian Right and other ultra-nationalistic, right-wing groups around the world. He would probably argue that such groups feed on the 'us vs. them' mentality and hardens divisions. Indeed, his main thesis is that the best way to win the cosmic war is not to fight it at all. He argues that the best way to deter Jihadists is not to engage on a religious level, but rather to make al-Qaeda irrelevant by listening to the concerns of local Muslims, and to encourage the growth of viable democracies in the Middle East. He does not say that the democracies need to mirror the American democratic system of government, but must, at least, reflect the will of the people and be seen as a legitimate government.
Lastly, I do want to note that at times, Reza is a masterful story-teller. This is how he describes the re-taking of the Temple Mount during the 1967 Six-Day War:
I have that photo, here before me. Rabbi Goren is wearing Coke-bottle glasses, but I can tell you, I can see the light dancing in his eyes. With the ram's horn pressed to his lips he is Joshua, calling forth the wrath of God who crumbles mountains. He is Aaron, staring out with virgin eyes upon the land of milk and honey. He is Moses: see how the soldiers run to him through the parting of dust and rubble! Two thousand years of wandering in the wilderness, and now, at long last, Eretz Yisrael is secured. Surely redemption is at hand.
(less)
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Arash
Aug 08, 2011Arash rated it really liked it
Aslan has a wonderful ability to take a complicated subject that is so commonly misunderstood and misrepresented in present day media, and break it down to its more coherent pieces, while maintaining its integrity and providing thoughtful analysis. Aslan frames the current "Cosmic War" between Islam and the West within the context of today's failed War on Terror and a modern day version of the Christian crusades.
His writing is remarkably easy to follow and written with a contemporary understanding of the dominant issues in today's discourse on this matter. His history of jihadism is fascinating and well-documented. His exploration of the true reasons of Islamic fundamentalism (and its terrorist actions) is insightful and eye-opening.
Aslan refuses to accept the flawed and Islamophobic language that is so common today. His writing, like his interviews and talks, reflect his dedication to thinking about these issues in new ways and understanding the complexity of an all too commonly simplified argument: that Islam inherently fuels terrorism. I only wish the book was a bit longer and explored these ideas in more depth. (less)
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Emily
Jan 22, 2018Emily rated it it was amazing
Good overview of global terrorism, an excellent introduction for someone who had very little prior knowledge on the subject (like me). This book is almost ten years old now, but still very relevant, especially given the rise of nationalism in the US.
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Louai Al Roumani
Jan 12, 2017Louai Al Roumani rated it it was ok
I am confused. The book title is clear-cut on what it aspires to achieve; providing ideas on how to win a 'cosmic' war and confronting radicalism. In the opening pages, Aslan makes a striking statement that the only way to fight a cosmic war is simply not to take part in it. An exciting premise that made me yearn for further elaboration.
The book however takes a different turn afterwards, as Aslan starts narrating the origins of Zionism, Islamism and engages in a mostly historical analysis of the origins of zealousness. Providing such a background is important to the reader, but I did not expect it to take almost three-quarters of the book. Aslan's writing is engaging and entertaining, yet as the book approached its ending, my frustration increasingly swelled when Aslan would not start to answer the question on every reader's mind. In the dying ten pages however, he starts to recount the all-too familiar recommendations, the most significant one being engaging Islamist voices in the democratic process. A sound advice but no rigorous dissection of the problems plaguing the Islamic world. He elevates the struggle to being a cosmic war, and does not address the down-to-earth war that needs down-to-earth solutions and radical changes encompassing the entire Islamic world. By confining his analysis to the global hard-core Jihadists, Aslan has confined the battle with these only and in many cases seemed to discount the increasing radicalization of more and more Muslims. He refers to this trend as a 'Jihadi pop culture' and somehow belittles its impact. No talk whatsoever about why moderate Sheikhs have 3K followers on Twitter at best whereas radical Jihadist sheikhs have over a million. No talk about the shocking increase in radicalization that can be easily identified by scrolling under any youtube video in Arabic or Urdu, whether it be a rerun of a Barcelona game or a Lebanese pop song, where you are most likely to start reading inflammatory radical talk in the comments.
Aslan talks about Muslims in Europe and the USA and puts the blame on the institutions there for not integrating Muslims. A lot of this is true, but no talk whatsoever about what Muslims need to do in return. He makes no mention of how on earth we can confront growing radicalism in Muslim-majority countries, except for asking for increased democratization. Any amateur is able to make such a statement, but I expected Aslan to say how he expected to do that in Saudi Arabia for example, and to address the venomous Wahhabist influence. He discounts the influence of madrassas by resorting to the claim that most of the suicide bombers of the 9/11 did not attend madrassas. Well Mr. Aslan, almost one out of every three Muslim taxi drivers I meet in London and Boston have attended madrassas and their radical views are astounding. It is the views of these taxi drivers that represent a timebomb and are reflective of much more than a harmless Jihadist pop-culture if no action is done.
He makes no mention whatsoever of any reform needed for Islam or the need to create a uniform Islamic 'Marjaeya' whereby no Sheikh in the world is able to make a fatwa on his own; all we need to do according to the writer is to include Islamist parties in the democratic process. As to the issue of compatibility with democracy, Aslan dedicates one sentence in the entire book by stating that it worked in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. That's it.
Sorry Mr. Aslan but this was disappointing and I feel cheated. The book should have been titled 'A Concise History of Jihadism', in which case it would have made a good book. However if that was its tile, I probably would not have purchased it and would have read instead for the likes of Fawaz Gerges. So it was definitely savvy for Mr. Aslan to create such an eye-catching title. (less)
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Daniel Solera
Apr 29, 2009Daniel Solera rated it it was amazing
Shelves: religion, current-events, politics
This was one fantastic read. I had a recent conversation with a close friend, where we talked about the modern-day dangers of religion, and how some of the harshest critics frame the issue unfairly. They choose to single-out religion as the main cause of terrorist acts such as 9/11, instead of looking at the situation from a sociopolitical standpoint. Granted, religion was involved, but it many other elements were at play.
Aslan's book takes this approach in attempts to rationalize the intent of a jihadist. In doing so, he not only glosses over the history of the religious fundamentalist movements of the three large monotheisms , but also explains how the struggles between them have been hurt further by the Bush Administration's foreign policy and rhetoric. Furthermore, he notes that the increasing strife is only made worse by globalization. Specifically, globalization brings cultures together and unifies differences, while the "us vs. them" rhetoric that we have gotten used to does just the opposite - paint the Muslim as an Other, as something to be feared. It is this alienation that confuses young Muslims in industrialized countries and drives them to identify themselves with radical, violent movements.
There is so much discussed in this book, and all of it relevant. I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking to make a little more sense of the long-standing chaos that daily hits the airwaves. There was even a paragraph in it that summarized "Jesus, Interrupted", which I read just last week. So that was nice. (less)
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Gilda Felt
Aug 16, 2019Gilda Felt rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I’m sure most people only think of Muslims when they think of religious extremists, but, as Aslan shows, they actually came into the game late. Jews and Christians have been using their absurd conviction that they know the mind of god for centuries.
Not only does this book set things straight, but it gives an in-depth history of each religions’ path to fundamentalism; its history, and, maybe, its future. It’s a must read for anyone who wants to know how we got here, and where we might be heading.
I’d love to think that this type of belief system will finally be shown to be the false narrative that it is, that all people, Jews, Christians, and Muslims will let go of their hubris and rigid mindset. But I’m not holding my breath. (less)
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Mila
Jan 17, 2020Mila rated it really liked it
Shelves: political-and-social-theory
This was a fascinating read and hard to put down. There were a lot of insights that really got me thinking, and Aslan is extremely articulate in describing the relationship between apocalyptic religiosity and world politics.
I wasn’t quite in agreement with everything. I thought he went slightly too easy on Islamist movements such as the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt, and seemed to be a bit more charitable to them than Arab secularists. But he did back up his arguments pretty well. I also think the book tried to cover a ton of ground in less than 300 pages, where it could have benefitted from more elaboration. But I suppose this length is the sweet spot when it comes to engaging people who don’t typically read about Middle East and Islamist politics. (less)
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===
How to Win a Cosmic War by Reza Aslan
The author's aim is not to revolutionise but to communicate a host of useful ideas, says Jason Burke
Jason Burke
Sun 16 Aug 2009 09.05 AEST
Reza Aslan's first book, No God But God, was a global success, explaining Islam as a religion, culture and identity to hundreds of thousands across the world. His follow-up is a sensible, intelligent and slightly worthy overview of what could be called the moderate left position on Islamic militancy. Little has not been covered before, but then the author's aim is not to revolutionise but to aggregate, synthesise and communicate a host of useful ideas.
Aslan rightly focuses on the question of identity, pointing out that the west has effectively appropriated "modernity" for itself, leaving militants to assume a "reactionary identity" based on an invented, mythologised past. He explains how, in our chaotic, interconnected world, the cool, clear certainties of radical Islam provide both an explanatory framework and a programme for change. The militants believe themselves to be warriors in a battle – or "cosmic war" – that has been fought since the beginning of time in the heavens. Events in real life – petty humiliations, frustrations, resentments – are explained by reference to this overarching "single narrative".
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This is all useful stuff, but Aslan's argument that militants want "nothing" is unpersuasive. He is wrong to dismiss the grievances of Osama bin Laden and company as "mind-bogglingly unfocused" and "random". Jihadist militants do not see their desire to erase Israel as "hopeless", but eminently achievable, if not immediately.
Israel and Palestine occupy a central position in the book. About a third of the slim volume is devoted to Zionism, early Jewish zealot rebels, questions of antisemitism, radical Jewish right wingers and the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. But though the issue of Palestine is a powerful glue binding disparate strands of political activism, it is merely one cause of Islamic militancy. Were there to be peace in the Holy Land tomorrow, bin Laden and others would not cease their violence.
Aslan's proposed strategy for winning the cosmic war is sensible if slightly predictable. Efficient provision of public services by governments means that Islamist groups such as Hezbollah or Hamas, which have based half their appeal on social activism and filling the holes left by corrupt bureaucracies, will be weakened. More democracy will mean that dissent will cease to be channelled into violence. We have heard all this before. But is democracy really the best answer for somewhere like Afghanistan? Can it ever be imposed from outside? And how likely is it that Hamas, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood or Hezbollah will "democratise" along the lines of the Turkish AKP if given the chance to participate in elections?
The book is written for an American audience and the emotional passages welcoming President Obama may seem overwrought. So may the flowery sections on Iranian-born Aslan's childhood in snowy Oklahoma. And he does have an irritating habit of over-simplifying, particularly when he is on less familiar ground such as Iraq or Europe. Iraq's sectarian civil war was not launched "almost single-handedly" by militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi but was the result of a complex mix of factors. The French vote against the new European Union constitution and the riots in the Paris suburbs of 2005 were not part of a general reaction against a levelling of difference within the EU, but completely different phenomena. And I don't think that describing the motivation for one of the 7/7 bombers as "love", albeit misguided, is helpful.
However, this remains a thought-provoking book and the chapter on the radicalisation of Europe's young is particularly useful. Aslan describes modern Islamic militancy as a "social movement", helpfully capturing the nature of a phenomenon which depends more on individuals' personal situations than on ideologies. In recasting jihadism as a "pop culture", as a group dynamic, a shared world view, Aslan opens up many fruitful areas of inquiry. One question deserves further discussion: can violence itself become a marker of identity? The answer is probably yes.
