The Lesser Jihad: Recruits and the al-Qaida Network

Despite many countries' successful efforts to capture and kill al-Qaida members, the al-Qaida network remains one of the most viable threats to international security. To combat this threat, we must understand why individuals continue to join the network. The Lesser Jihad provides unique insight into this question, exploring the diversity of recruits and the motivational forces that drive seemingly ordinary individuals to turn to secrecy and violence as a way of life. These motivational forces, or "the push," combine with al-Qaida's recruitment efforts, or "the pull." Through robust and proactive propaganda efforts, the al-Qaida network entices potential recruits to follow its call to armed jihad. This insider's look will help policymakers, government officials, academics, the press, and citizens to understand—and combat—recruitment into the al-Qaida network.