Rating: 
Summary: The only journalist who know the region
Review: Having spent my whole life up until very recently living and working in Central Asia for the US goverment working with aid agencies, I long ago gave up on finding a book I could share with friends that could explain the Byzantine politics of this region. Here we have countries rich in resources filled with hard working, good people and ruled by dictators that America has unwisely allied with. These dictators are fueling the hatred that will be turned against the US by our enemies.In fact years ago Rashid warned the west about the Taliban in several articles and had to stay out of that country for years because of the danger to his life. While the author and I have very different political philosophies, I cannot disparage his journalism. It is thorough and insightful. If you want to understand this region, don't read a book by some Western journalist who spends two weeks here and two months in a public library doing research. Read a book by a man who grew up here and has covered this region for years. The only people who won't like this book are the despots in the Central Asian nations who are eager to rob that region of it's riches while the eyes of the world are on Afghanistan and Iraq. It's time to head Rashid's warnings before we end up with a whole region filled with Afghanistans and Iraqs...
Rating:
Summary: Newest and best, very educating.
Review: I thought I knew a fair amount concerning this region, this book not only informs of unknown facts, but gives insight as to what will pass. This book does not assume or bring opinion, this is real material that is semi frightening. You would think these countries to have little effect world wide however the info presented by Ahmed reveals for countless reasons we need to wake up to this area. I wished I could explain them all to give an accurate review, however all I can say is these countries will have a profound effect on India, China, and eventually the USA in huge proportions. This is a book that will wake up the unaware and cause many to seek some form of diplomacy. This area is much more of a boiling pot than Israel, Palestine, and Iraq, it is a cauldron for militant regimes especially the hard line Islamics which do advocate war on us from the top down. After reading this I do believe Ahmed, and I believe we have a serious threat coming from this area, that will propogate much more into the already semi stable nations such as Saudi Arabia. I am convinced there is a new trend in the area based on hard line Islam to convince much of the majority of Islam to focus attention against all westerners but particularly the USA. I could only give a book review to recommend reading it, yes we all need to be informed on this subject.
Rating: 
Summary: Waste of money
Review: I thought when i get this book, i will learn about "what is Jihad". However; the author left history of islam and talked about history of a small town close to china, and for that we should fair maslims anywhere we see them, because they are all the same.
This book is a waste of time, it is all based on facts! Maybe..but of a small town who fight for Independent.
You get out after reading this book by saying.."So, what is it have to do with maslims"
thanks guys, fooled me by given it 5 stars
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, concise, insightful!!
Review: In this book, Ahmed Rashid makes a follow-up of his widely acclaimed "Taliban" to introduce the non-Muslim reader to a more general, complex world where terrorism, insurgencies, political corruption, drug-trafficking, and great powers' vying for influence have been at the core of many conflicts in Central Asia until today.
I particular find it extremely helpful that Rashid handles the armed conflicts that resulted from the Soviet Union's collapse in a way that explores the roots of the rising religious militancy that has been a subject of concern in the United States especially after 9-11. The book explains how Islamic extremism have found fertile ground in the heart of Asia as the post-Soviet regimes of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazhakstan, Kyrgystan, and Turkmenistan have done little to bring about badly needed reforms in their societies.
Rashid gives an account on the various militant factions in the unsuing civil wars after the USSR collapse in each of these five countries, giving a description of their leadership, organization, and agendas.
He also makes a careful distinction between the pacifist pan-Islamic fundamentalist movements such as the Hizb ut-Tahir (HT) and the 'Holy Warrior' variety of jihadis such as the Uzbekistan Islamic Movement (IMU), to name few. Both trends, Rashid explains, draw from ideologies that seek to adapt centuries-old interpretations of Islam - for example the Saudi-influenced Wahabbism - into the modern World. Rashid does not downplay the threat of fanaticism in both trends, however, he argues that there can be constructive alternatives to co-opt these trends into the political system of each country of the region.
Of the HT, for example, he writes, "One option, which the Central Asian regimes have so far refused to consider, is legalizing the HT and allowing it to operate as an above-ground political party. The HT has never advocated the overthrow of the regimes through violence, and legalization of the party would force the leadership to deal with local problems and articulate concrete economic and political policies rather than rely on vague millenarian promises. And legalizing the HT would make it less likely to forge links with other radical Islamic groups that do advocate violence."
Rashid suggests the coalition government formed in Tajikistan of former fundamentalist rebels and the secular government as a possible model to follow by the neighboring countries to attain stability and democracy and curb terrorism. He argues that by addressing the movements grievances, they would eventually moderate their agendas as they become to feel more empowered to make contributions of common interest to the various factions of the political spectrums of each country.
In my opinion, the book's main argument is to consider adaptation and moderation within the Islamic fundamentalist movements as viable alternatives to fight terrorism and encourage a gradual march toward religious and political tolerance in the region.
Rashid's efforts to present the current situation in Central Asia is a valuable contribution to dispel the conventional wisdom, more significantly in the West, that the problem of terrorism and Islamic militancy can be described in a monolithic scenario of "good v. Evil," Clash-of-civilizations-type hysteria.
Rating: 
Summary: Insightful, experienced journalist explores troubled region
Review: Journalist Ahmed Rashid has the knack to identify those regions and religious movements that can destabilize the world. In his seminal book on the Taliban, Rashid wrote the definitive account of the bizarre fundamentalists who ruled and oppressed Afghanistan. In Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia, the author offers fresh insight into the Islamist tumult in the Central Asian republics of the former USSR. Although not as strong as his previous book, Jihad nonetheless is the powerful story of the rise of militant Islam in an impoverished, politically troubled region. The author focuses on Islamist terrorists based in the Fergana Valley, a center of Muslim unrest since the Bolshevik Revolution. Rashid explores, compares and contrasts five Central Asian nations impacted by the valley: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. These countries all differ but most continue to suffer the legacy of totalitarianism. After the Soviet Union imploded, Islam came out of the shadows in the Central Asian republics. The successor governments proved as eager as the Kremlin had been to repress religion, and this in turn led to the rise of Islamist terrorism. Rashid places this in a historical and cultural context for each nation. A correspondent long based in the region, Rashid is a reporter with impeccable sources and keen analytical abilities (he sometimes feels compelled to impart most of what he knows and has learned, and that can prove tedious). The book is at its best when the author contrasts Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Tajikistan once sought to wipe out all Islamists. After a violent civil war, the country came to embrace democracy. As a result, Tajikistan is relatively stable today, and religious activists find outlets for expression through the electoral process. Uzbekistan, on the other hand, frowns on religion and has a national policy to suppress Islamists. Partially as a result, that government remains under constant attack from Muslim extremists, and in turn employs all means at the state's disposal to destroy its enemies. This civil war, centered in the Fergana Valley, spills across borders and threatens the region. After Rashid details the violence in Uzbekistan, he introduces the reader to the secretive Juma Namagani, who often seems driven by narcissism more than religious concerns. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the terror group Namagani heads, is presented here as a threat that rivals al-Qaeda in its fanaticism and violence. Rashid concludes the actual problem isn't the insurgents, though. It's the repressive states that create them. Fortunately governments can change. The author documents why this holds some promise that Central Asia may not become the next Afghanistan.
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Summary: Excellent Anlysis on Islamic Extreamism in former USSR
Review: The author explains how Islamic Extreamism has reared it's ugly head in this region and the conditions that led to it's rise. He throughly explains the dictators who repress the people so much that they turn to extreame Islam. He talks about several militant organizations, most notably the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which has Bin-Laden links.
Rating:
Summary: Frankenstein VS Monster
Review: The question remains are we the Victor Frankenstein who has turned our back on the monster we created? The Western perception of Jihad, influenced considerably by the crusades in the middle age is one of an Islamic holy was fought against the non-believers. Contrary to this concept the prophet of Islam Muhammad professed Greater Jihad which is one where each Muslim attempts to become a better person and struggles to improve one self, in doing so benefits the community and society in which they live. To him Jihad is an inner struggle of moral discipline. The lesser Jihad takes place to rebel against an unjust tyrant ruler, irrespective of the ruler's beliefs. Today the jihadi movement from Taliban to Osama Bin Ladens Al Qaeda to the movements in Central Asian sates have conveniently ignored the greater jihad and opted for the lesser one, this choice was a means to complete their self-indulgent political gains. These movements have assassinated the faith and hijacked the religion. Nowhere in the Muslim writings or traditions does Islam sanction the killings of the innocent. At the heights of the Islamic civilization during, the crusades to moors to Ottoman times Muslims were tolerant and respectful for other cultures and beliefs. Our present times we witness the lows of intolerance, where fanatics measure the goodness of society by the length of a mans beard or the thickness of a woman's veil. These new Islamic fundamentalist are not interested in transforming a corrupt society into a just one, they are un-interested in providing jobs, education or social benefits, they have no viable economic agenda or a political manifesto for good governance. The Beginning:
Before the 16th century Central Asian states were the envy of many, there economic might was drawn from trade routes connecting Europe to Asia widely known as silk route. With the opening of the sea-lanes and diversion of traffic they lost their glitter and revenues to this new competition. Unable to cope with huge armies and luxuries they obliterated into squabbling city based fiefdoms. In 1861 the American civil war, disrupted the cotton supply to Russian factories, besides the expanding British Empire gave Russians the pretense to conquer this territory. Afghanistan became the buffer between the two empires. The Russians drew a rebellious response from the Basmachi (Muslim) revolts. Stalin drove to isolate this area from the world and strictly prohibited practice of Islam. For the next seven decades they tried to dismember them from their traditions, religion and culture. The spirit lived within them and they practiced in hiding, the more the soviets tried to stamp out the more it spread. The Spread:
With their independence came a strong desire for expression of speech, movement and religion. The government in turn became intolerant to religion, as most of the rulers were used to the ex-communists from the Soviet republic. This repression turned moderate muslims to radical movements. The growing popularity of militant islam in Central Asia is due to the repressiveness of the regimes. The government jealously guards their power and refuses to broaden their political base, refuse to institute the mildest of democratic reforms or allow political opposition. Whilst poverty and unemployment increase and economic opportunity decrease along with the misuse of power and blatant corruption adds to the ill. The people looking for an alternative solution find one in fundamentalists as no political opposition exists. The following is an observation quoted in Jihad by Ahmed Rashid from European based International Crisis Group.
" The situation is so dire for the vast majority of the population that the patience is beginning to evaporate and unrest to grow sharply. The likelihood is that dire poverty combined with despair and outrage over rampant corruption, repressive policies and government failure to address local needs could led to outbreaks of localized unrest with potential to spread into wider conflict" There is an abundance of oil wealth in the region, which will bring economic prosperity to the region but may not tackle down to the people at grass roots due to corruption. With this there will be a greater disparity between the poor and the rich, will further cause de-stabilization to the region. The Fix:
The world has witnessed the unjustified acts of September 2001. There is a moral responsibility for the nations to ensure that a smooth transition from soviet isolation to global engagement occurs in Central Asia. There is an immediate need for the regimes there to provide greater political and personal freedom, minimize corruption and provide economic opportunities to the people. There needs to be a greater interest by the nations to build the infrastructure that was laid to ruins by seven decades of soviet isolation. On the whole this is an immensely enlightening book on the future hot spots. Ahmed Rashid has done a brilliant work again after his book 'Taliban'. It is a must read for anyone who is looking for answers or generally trying to understand the area.
Rating: 
Summary: Reach exceeds grasp of facts
Review: The reviewers on this website who claim Rashid is the only journalist who knows Central Asia are clueless about journalism in Central Asia. There are many journalists who know Central Asia far better than Rashid - check out Eurasianet.org, for example. Rashid's book about Afghanistan, Taliban, is excellent because he has spent many years living in the region and he knows some local languages and has seriously studied Afghanistan's history. Unfortunately, he relies on unreliable secondary sources for much of his knowledge of Central Asia and his book is filled with major and minor errors. He has an unsophisticated grasp of the Soviet era history of Central Asia and he makes wild speculations and overgeneralizations about the contemporary situation based on inadequate, hastily gathered information. Jihad is just Rashid capitalizing on his cachet and the publishers capitalizing on the public's hunger for quick and accessible information about this under-studied region.
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Summary: Extremely informative
Review: This book is as well-conceived, well-researched, and well-written as Rashid's earlier *Taliban*. It makes a convincing case for why Islamic terrorist groups are likely to base their operations in coming years out of central Asia's ex-Soviet states. Two points in particular are worth considering. The first is that the collapse of the Soviet Union is still continuing to send out shock waves no one could've predicted. The USSR's abuse of the central Asian republics and their ensuing dismal economic and political status today have created a seedbed for discontent. This is sad confirmation of the destructive legacy of imperialism, regardless of whether the imperialism is practiced by the political right or left. The scond point is that the Islamic extremism that's growing in the central Asian republics isn't at all homegrown. It's imported, largely from Saudi Arabia and wahabism. The homegrown Islam of the Asian states tends to be contemplative and pietistic--Sufism. But the new imported brand, rule-bound, rigid, and obsessed with recreating an international Caliphate, is beginning to destroy the native Sufi orientation. Rashid's "Jihad,*, just like the earlier *Taliban,* has at least one clear lesson: economic penury and Western overbearing creates material and psychological conditions that can be manipulated by terrorists. The western powers ought to take this lesson to heart. Rashid points out that, despite the growth of militant Islam in the central Asian republics, the natives there aren't particularly anti-American as yet. It remains to be seen whether they stay that way. A great deal of their attitude will surely depend on U.S. foreign policy in the months to come.
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Summary: The Current Landscape of Central Asia
Review: This book starts with the history of Central Asia then talks about the current state of that area focusing on the rise of radical Islamic groups, mainly IMU & HT. The author provides some reasons for their rise and how this has affected the area and the world. This author also provides some solutions to the problems of this part of the world while holding out hope for mass reform through foreign support as a solution to the war on terror. Large oil reserves, oppressed people, human rights violations, mass poverty, mass unemployment, and radical Islamic groups put this part of the world front stage in the war on terror.
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