David L. Phillips to MESH:

My book is a post-mortem of George W. Bush’s counterterrorism policy. It is also intended as a guide for the Obama administration. Part of it consists of case studies of groups that are at various stages of abandoning violence and seeking their goals through political means: the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, Free Aceh Movement, and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front. Some of these groups are making progress; others are back-tracking; while some groups are dividing into various factions. These case studies are considered within the context of world affairs since Bush declared his “Global War on Terror,” of which the book is deeply critical.

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Product Description

From Bullets to Ballots considers non-state Muslim organizations at different stages of abandoning violence and pursuing their goals through a political process. Some have successfully made the transition. Others are in mid-stream. Some have tried but backtracked, splintered, or simply abandoned such efforts, reverting to pathological violence. Many groups could be case studies, but Phillips has selected the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Kurdistan Workers Party, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, and the Free Aceh Movement, because they cover the spectrum. This book deals with political strategies for moderating violent Muslim movements by engaging them in the political process. In strong criticism of the Bush administration, Phillips notes that the push for democracy may have increased conflict by giving violent groups "the ballot"which they use to gain power. Focusing on non-state Muslim organizations, From Bullets to Ballots considers the relationship between ideology and policy. Phillips discusses their origin, ideology, structure, and leadership and examines financing, activities, and communications. He assesses the groupsÂ’ commitment to elections and its acceptance of the responsibility that comes with governance. From Bullets to Ballots draws on twenty years of PhillipsÂ’ experience working democratization and conflict prevention in the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and South Asia. His recommendations are primarily directed to the United States because he believes the United States should be a leader in promoting democracy around the world. At the same time, he is convinced that the United States must tread softly, or run the risk of fomenting further violence, undermining future democratic development, and setting back its own national interests. This is a provocative, informed, and balanced analysis of the theories behind current policies.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1751390 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 312 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781412807951
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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About the Author
David L. Phillips is a visiting scholar at Center for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University. Over more than two decades, he has been a proponent of democracy, human rights, and humanitarian action. Phillips has worked as a senior adviser to the United Nations Secretariat and to the U.S. Department of State. He has held academic positions at Harvard University's Center for Middle East Studies, Columbia University's International Conflict Resolution Program, the American University.