From its sudden emergence as a military force to be reckoned with in Syria and Iraq in June 2014 through its YouTube executions of hostages to its atrocious attacks in Paris in November 2015, the movement variously known as ISIS, Islamic State and Daesh has compelled the world's horrified attention. Where did it come from and how on earth should we respond? This NoNonsense book aims to answer all the questions that people are asking - without jargon and in an easy-to-use FAQ format. It places ISIS in the broader context of the US-led 'war on terror' from the Bush-Blair invasion of Iraq right through to Obama's drone attacks and makes a strong case for responses that build peace and justice rather than feeding the cycle of violence and terror.

This title is published on the 6th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan, the beginning of the 'War on Terror', John Berger, Naomi Klein, Arundhati Roy, Joe Sacco and others examine the consequences. On October 7th 2001, US-led forces invaded Afghanistan, marking the start of George Bush and Tony Blair's War on Terror. Six years on, where have the policies of Bush and Blair left us? Bringing together some of the finest contemporary writers, this wide-ranging anthology, from reportage and faction to fiction, explores the impact of this long war throughout the world, from Palestine to Iraq, Abu Ghraib, the curtailment of civil liberties and manipulation of public opinion. Published in conjunction with Stop the War Coalition and United for Peace and Justice, it provides an urgent, necessary reflection on the causes and consequences of the ideological War on Terror.

WikiLeaks came to prominence in 2010 with the release of 251,287 top-secret State Department cables, which revealed to the world what the US government really thinks about national leaders, friendly dictators, and supposed allies. It brought to the surface the dark truths of crimes committed in our name: human rights violations, covert operations, and cover-ups. The WikiLeaks Files exposes the machinations of the United States as it imposes a new form of imperialism on the world, one founded on tactics from torture to military action, to trade deals and "soft power," in the perpetual pursuit of expanding influence. The book also includes an introduction by Julian Assange examining the ongoing debates about freedom of information, international surveillance, and justice. An introduction by Julian Assange-writing on the subject for the first time-exposes the ongoing debates about freedom of information, international surveillance, and justice.

Clear explanations of recent events in the new global War on Terror. The US is back at war. A new version of what was once known as George W. Bush's "global war on terror" has become the central component of American foreign policy. The US/NATO assault on Libya in 2011, thousands of troops on the ground in Iraq, plans to keep combat troops in Afghanistan, drone wars rising in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere--and now new air wars are underway against ISIS and others in Iraq, Syria and perhaps beyond. In this newest addition to Interlink's wide-ranging Understanding Global Issues series, Phyllis Bennis asks and answers the basic questions facing so many Americans: What is ISIS? Why are they so violent? Should Obama have kept troops in Iraq? Is ISIS the same as al-Qaeda? Can you really go to war against terror? How should the US respond to ISIS violence? What dangers lie ahead? Without jargon, in an easy-to-use Frequently Asked Questions format, Bennis sorts through the hype to get to the root of this newest edition of the continuing global war on terror.

Three decades ago, conservative ideologues at The Heritage Foundation produced a primer on the Reagan Revolution entitled Mandate for Leadership, which offered an overarching philosophy against the role of government and in favor of markets. This volume, produced by the Institute for Policy Studies, which since 1963 has been the nation's leading progressive policy organization, offers a set of specific policy proposals for the incoming national administration on every major domestic and international topic, written specifically for the book by a leading thinker and activist in the field. These chapters set forth a fundamental, badly needed "mandate for change" to reinvigorate government and rethink the role of markets and civil society. Each one includes an essay supporting the proposed policies and a resource list of relevant organizations, websites, and readings. It is perfect for public policy courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Three decades ago, conservative ideologues at The Heritage Foundation produced a primer on the Reagan Revolution entitled Mandate for Leadership, which offered an overarching philosophy against the role of government and in favor of markets. This volume, produced by the Institute for Policy Studies, which since 1963 has been the nation's leading progressive policy organization, offers a set of specific policy proposals for the incoming national administration on every major domestic and international topic, written specifically for the book by a leading thinker and activist in the field. These chapters set forth a fundamental, badly needed 'mandate for change' to reinvigorate government and rethink the role of markets and civil society. Each one includes an essay supporting the proposed policies and a resource list of relevant organizations, websites, and readings. It is perfect for public policy courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Senator John McCain turns a classic Beach Boys song into "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" and receives his party's nomination for president. What is it about relations between the United States and Iran that render such posturing acceptable? Is Iran a serious threat to the United States? Is it building nuclear weapons and funding terrorists? Phyllis Bennis's primer looks at international assessments of Iran's nuclear program and gives a brief history of relations between Iran and the United States, and between Iran and its neighbors in the Middle East. Bennis's analysis provides a counterweight to the Bush administration's aggressive stance on Iran, giving voice to diplomats and activists concerned with stopping the cycle of violence across the region.