Books & more: The ISIS Solution

13 years after 9/11 and the attack in Afghanistan to eliminate terrorist camps of al Qaeda, another head of the Hydra has risen in the Middle East, approximately halfway to Europe: the Islamic State (IS) is about the size of England and attracts thousands of volunteer fighters from around the world who expect salvation in the world from participating in the caliphate and their involvement in the fight. Much has been written and broadcasted by now, a lot of nonsense and some wisdom. This is a special contribution, because "ISIS Solution" is a Kindle book - with 36 pages, one would rather call it a brochure here - that has a special authorship, namely all authors from the SOFREP network, former members of the US Special Operation Forces. Brandon Webb was a SEAL, Jack Murphy comes from the Special Forces, Peter Nealen is a former Recon Marine - all of them served in Iraq.

“ISIS Solution” summarizes the emergence of the Islamic State and focuses mainly on the military factors of its development, which are rarely found elsewhere in writing. The authors are aware that what has emerged here will not disappear quickly. As a first response, they recommend a massive deployment of special forces that will set clear boundaries for the IS and drain its resources through direct action missions. "Boots on the Ground" are necessary in the medium term. However, even more essential are the long-term responses that are certainly a prerequisite for peace in a region that is increasingly falling into chaos - amidst extremely uncompromising opponents.

Whether the answer "Own Kurdish state" (also related to the authors' personal military experience with Kurdish fighters) is realistic, we will not answer. Just as little as the question about a complete cultural change in the Middle East. The hyped "Arab Spring" seems to be primarily a spring of Islamic fundamentalism so far... Nevertheless, "ISIS Solution" is a small and inexpensive book that offers new, unusual perspectives, especially because it discusses current events primarily from the military perspective of special forces.

"The ISIS Solution: How Unconventional Thinking and Special Operations Can Eliminate Radical Islam (SOFREP)" by Jack Murphy, Brandon Webb, and Peter Nealen, St. Martins Press, 2014, 36 pages, for Kindle, Euro 2.87