The Far Right Threat

 

A long-time expert in counter-terrorism and global Islamic threats like ISIS, Iraqi-born US-based Israeli Rita Katz rightly evaluates how loose is the legal and intelligence counter-reaction to internal far right threats. Written shortly after the pandemic lockdown, where all over the world, conspiracy theories were melted into nationalist rhetorics not amended by state actors, Saints and Soldiers. Inside Internet-Age Terrorism, from Syria to the Capitol Siege is an eye opening account of why and how the far right threats increased in the last years, unamended by state actors.

Someone who studied the ISIS and Islamist rhetorics for a long time, may figure out the common pattern by the far right, especially the anti-establishment and misogynistic take, anti-Semitism and the desire the disturb the everyday activities of state institutions. However, although the online activities of ISIS and its near of kin are relatively well documented and publicly denounced, worries are about the ways in which the far right is taking over the public discourse and its freedom to use and abuse online networks and open online resources.

The rhetoric are similar and they may need each other. When they are not just teenagers operating far right networks from the comfort of their computer in far away countries, individuals involved in far right activities of all kinds may know the state and may actually benefit of the support of state actors and individuals part of the system. See, for instance, the colourful list of people who were part of the plan to overthrwo the German government recently. 

This book, written with the feedback of someone who dedicated her life to dismantle the anti-democratic threats, no matter where they are coming from, is a very useful material aiming at explaining the current mindsets as well as the sources of discontent. State institutions, scholars and practitioners, be aware!

Rating: 5 stars

A Story of Two National Narratives

In everyday diplomatic practice, national narratives are sometimes the hardest part to overcome. Rooted in mentalities and national representations, those stories do represent sometimes the chore of the identity itself. Once removed or readjusted, particularly if suddenly, may create dramatic identity rifts.

Republics of Myth. National Narratives and the US-Iran Conflict is a co-authored volume of analysis by Hussein Banai, Malcolm Byrne and John Tirman displaying and explaining the complex interactions - mostly behind the public eyes - between the two nations at war. A war of words, a war of decisions, a war of the narratives.

The authors are very informed, using local knowledge and national intelligence archives, which makes the information provided valuable and reliable. However, like in the case of the national narratives skillfully analyses, it´s always a matter of perspective and no matter how much information you may have on a topic, the choice of the topic itself is subjective. Definitely, Iran and US do have conflicting narratives, sometimes fuelled by other interests than the ones aiming at improving their own nations. On the other hand, neglecting the horrible human rights record and abusive character of the Iranian regime against their own people, which makes far more victims than the sanctions, may look dubious given the tremendous available information the authors had at their disposal.

There are aspects regarding international terrorism the regime in Tehran supports in the region, but without a throughout analyses that may reveal in fact why allowing them to own a nuclear bomb may be controversial. Minimising international critics agains the Nuclear Deal as being issued by the ´pro Israel lobby´ - I´ve lost count how many times this expression it was mentioned in the book - is distoring the value of the information provided and analyses.

Another rather controversial take is using geopolitical paradigms of ´border expansion´ which do have a highly controversial reputation, being used in various expansionists ideologies. Comparing the expansion of the US interests towards the Middle East with the previous expansion to the (wild) West, a a race for resources, largely uncritically, needed more than a paradigmatic translation in a completely different and much more complex context.

Republics of Myth is an important book for anyone interested in conflictual national narratives and their part in fuelling international conflict, but should be rather took with the very critical take, which is exactly how academics and intellectuals in general should consider any given facts, particularly of recent historical relevance.

Rating: 3 stars