During the recent mass arrests of "insurgents" in Saudi Arabia, a new book by Sheik Abu-Bakar al Naji (al Qaeda's lead warfare theorist), Governance of the Wilderness (Edarat al-Wahsh), was found in safe houses. It appears, both to me and the many readers that sent me news of this, that al Qaeda's theory is edging ever closer to Global Guerrilla thinking (the optimal approach for small group warfare/global insurgency). Amir Taheri has an excellent review of the book at the Post. Salient points include:
- System disruption. "countless small operations" that "target oilfields, sea and airports, tourist facilities and especially banking and financial services" to weaken the state and create a "wilderness."
- Temporary autonomous zones and primary loyalties "Islamists in the 'wilderness' must create parallel societies alongside existing ones."
- Avoid control of a state don't "set up formal governments, which would be subject to economic pressure or military attack."