From Bosnia to Beslan

We know that al-Qaeda emerged because Western powers – in particular the US – funded and trained radical Islamic groups in order to use them for their own purposes. This book shows that this is not an isolated incident. Journalist Brendan O’Neill argues that it’s part of a worldwide strategy, the results of which can now be seen from Afghanistan to Kosovo, Beslan and beyond. All over the world, so-called ‘humanitarian’ interventions, while dressed up in terms of human rights, have weakened states, creating vacuums that encourage the movement of groups across borders – allowing terrorists like al-Qaeda to thrive. O’Neill makes links across all major conflicts of the late 20th century, concentrating his analysis on the ‘humanitarian’ interventions of the 1990s, in particular Bosnia and Kosovo. He shows how, the war having been won in Afghanistan, the US and Britain helped arm and move thousands of Mujahideen fighters from Central Asia into the former Yugoslavia where they played a key role in the resistance of the Bosnian Muslims. Their continuing presence in the region now undermines efforts to stabilise Kosovo and turn Bosnia into a viable state. O’Neill’s distinctive analysis will be of interest to all students of international studies, and anyone who wants to know more about the destabilising effect of recent western interventions and the rise of global terrorism.