3

The book serves its purposes quite well - without giving too much information it underlines the origins of IS, its current (to the book) positions and methods, and proposes the way to resist. Nevertheless, on my opinion, it has several crucial drawbacks: first of all, the author dedicates quite a big part of the book (well, in propotion of its size) to economic advantages population under IS has in contrast to those under official rule as a reason why IS has such a low resistnace in occupied territories. But when he comes to methods of abolishing IS in Syria or Iraq he never mentions the stability of economy and security - as I see it, because Syrian opposition can hardly provide those, while Assad and official government support is rather unlikely to be in picture of Western image of new, postwar Syria. Secondly, even though the book is great for those who have no idea about IS, it still requires the reader to have an idea of modern Middle East, therefore being an introduction the book won't suit the reader without any previous knowledge.

On my opinion, the foreword of Ahmed Rashid is excelent though. The idea of the creation of new stable Middle East by the hands of those living there and not by overseas powers can present rather interesting approach to the problem of constant revolutions, wars and terror originating in the region.