Insurgency Organization Case Study: Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, 2006-Present

Abstract

This paper is a study of the insurgent organization al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated group based in Algeria. The man who said "We are not insane to target our Muslim brothers," Abdelmalek Droukdal, is a leader of AQIM. Droukdal was responding to a New York Times reporter's question regarding his attitude towards civilians, who are often killed or injured in AQIM's attacks. The reporter's question specifically referred to AQIM's spectacular attack on the United Nations headquarters in Algiers in December, 2007, which killed 42 people and injured 212, including 24 dead and 132 wounded civilians. In his meandering answer, Droukdal provides a number of different justifications. Droukdal's response is a noteworthy one, given how crucial popular support is for an insurgent group like AQIM. According to the Army Counterinsurgency Field Manual, 3-24, "the ability to generate and sustain popular support, or at least acquiescence and tolerance, often has the greatest impact on the insurgency's long-term effectiveness. As this paper will demonstrate, AQIM's attitude toward civilian bloodshed is a significant factor in any assessment of the group's long-term chances for success. More specifically, this paper is a study of AQIM as an organization. The essay will consider the group's past, present, and projected future and the impact AQIM has had in Algeria, regionally, and globally. It will also determine what kind of threat the group poses to United States interests in Algeria and elsewhere. Ultimately, the goal of this essay is to provide recommendations on ways of defeating AQIM for the authorities who are trying to do so.