Army Intelligence Officer - "To Our Great Detriment: Ignoring What Extremists Say about Jihad"

A military intelligence officer in the Army Reserves (also a lawyer) wrote in the midst of the Global War on Terror a thesis on the threat analysis aspects of Islamic law and related doctrines to receive his master’s degree in strategic intelligence at the National Defense Intelligence College in 2007.

Entitled, “To Our Great Detriment: Ignoring What Extremists Say about Jihad” (pdf), Major Stephen Coughlin argued that a failure to understand and acknowledge the doctrinal and legal foundations of jihad in mainstream Islamic law has critically undermined Western strategic intelligence and counterterrorism efforts.

“There is no substitute for a working knowledge of the enemy through a professional comprehension of his stated threat doctrine.”

He demonstrated that jihad, defined primarily as warfare against non-muslims to establish Islam, is rooted in authoritative Islamic legal sources, reinforced by doctrines such as scholarly consensus and abrogation, and remains a binding obligation in both classical and contemporary contexts.

Coughlin contended that extremist interpretations are not fringe but are supported by mainstream legal texts and historical precedent, and that ignoring these realities allows adversaries to dominate the ideological and informational battlespace.

The phrase, “to our great detriment” in the title of the thesis comes from a 2005 speech by Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace, USMC:

“To talk about how we are going to proceed, we need to understand the nature of the enemy. And clearly, the nature of this enemy is different than any we have faced in the past ….

Our enemies had declared war on us years before, but the attacks in New York, in the skies over Pennsylvania and here in Washington, D.C. brought home very clearly to us that we were at war.

I say you need to get out and read what our enemies have said. Remember Hitler. Remember he wrote Mein Kampf.

He said in writing exactly what his plan was, and we collectively ignored that to our great detriment.

Now, our enemies have said publicly on film, on the Internet, their goal is to destroy our way of life. No equivocation on their part. They’re not saying if you stay home, we will not come after you. They are saying their goal is to rid the Middle East of all foreigners.

Then, overthrow all governments that are not friendly to them, which means every single one of those governments.

Then, to use that base as a way to spread their terrorism and their oppression across the globe to include a map that shows 100 years from now that the entire globe will be under their domination.”

In light of the increasing domestic threat of radical political Islam and its use of Sharia Law (antithetical to the US Constitution we swore an oath to) as well as its partnering with radical Marxists disguising themselves as socialists — so many of both whom are now running for political office and winning — it seems a good time to bring attention to Coughlin’s important document for educational purposes.

The Red (Marxists)-Green (Islamists) Axis is working together against their common enemy – the United States – in order to destroy our country.

Background on the author: In September 2001, Coughlin was mobilized from his private sector legal career and assigned to the Directorate for Intelligence, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Targeting (JCS-J2T) at the Pentagon. Over time, his responsibilities evolved into intelligence support to information operations and strategic communications from a targeting perspective.

Through knowledge of published Islamic law, Coughlin had an demonstrated ability to forecast events both in the Middle East and domestically and to accurately assess the future threat posture of jihadist entities before they happen. When asked how he could be so accurate, he said he just reads their stated doctrine. (Recall the scene in the movie Patton when he successfully goes up against Rommel and says, “Rommel, I read your book!”)

Other assignments included the Pentagon’s National Military Command Center, the National Military Joint Intelligence Center, and the National Security Council’s Interagency Perception Management Threat Panel before demobilizing in 2004.

In 2006, Coughlin was sought out by name and requested to support the Joint Staff J2 in counterterror threat analysis as a lead consultant. Major Coughlin was later assigned to USCENTCOM where he served in both an intelligence and strategic communications / information operations role.

Recognized as the Pentagon’s leading expert on Islamic law as it relates to national security, Coughlin was in demand as a lecturer at leading senior service staff institutions, including the National Defense University, the Army and Navy War Colleges, Marine Corps HQ-Quantico, the Joint Forces Staff College, and others, as well as at the FBI, CIA and associated agencies and private sector groups. Coughlin continues his work analyzing the threats from Marxism and Islamism in his company, Unconstrained Analytics, which has many more reports and video briefings.

Read: “To Our Great Detriment: Ignoring What Extremists Say about Jihad“(pdf) by Stephen Coughlin

AI summary of the key points in the paper:

This report analyzes the nature of jihad, Islamic law, and military doctrine related to the War on Terror, emphasizing understanding enemy motivations and threats.

U.S. failed to analyze jihadi strategic doctrine, ignoring enemy statements.
Reading enemy texts like Islamic law is crucial for threat comprehension.

Islamic Law and Jihad

Jihad is a core Islamic obligation, justified by Qur’an and Islamic texts.
Extremist claims align with Islamic law, emphasizing defense and global dominance.

Policy and Knowledge Gaps

Post-9/11 policies avoided Islamic doctrine, hindering understanding.
Many officials lack basic Islamic knowledge, impairing effective counterterrorism.

Impact of Misunderstanding

Ignoring doctrinal motives leads to strategic failures.
Recognizing Islamic law’s role is essential to counter jihadi threats effectively.

Impact of Political Statements on Threat Analysis

President’s comments hinder understanding of enemies declaring jihad in Islam’s name.
This approach biases threat assessment by ignoring enemy doctrine and motives.

Limitations of Current Intelligence Methodology

Traditional IPB focuses on known doctrine but fails with idea-based threats like Islamic extremism.
Current methods exclude threat doctrine, leading to misaligned enemy understanding.

Islamic Law’s Role in Threat Doctrine

Enemy claims are grounded in Islamic law supporting jihad, which is often validated by authoritative sources.
Validating jihadi claims in Islamic law shows they are often accurate and well-grounded.

Need for Unconstrained Threat Templates

Threat analysis must start with enemy’s stated doctrine without bias.
Proper doctrinal templates reflect the enemy’s pure vision, essential for accurate threat modeling.

Role of Islamic Law in Muslim Countries

Many Muslim nations constitutionally recognize Islamic law as the primary legal authority.
Constitutions explicitly subordinate national laws to Islamic principles, often referencing the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Key Islamic Jurisprudential Sources

The Qur’an and authentic Hadith collections form the core of Islamic law.
Major works like Malik’s Muwatta, Shafi’i’s Risala, and Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir are highly authoritative.

Variations in Legal and Political Systems

Countries like Pakistan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia embed Islamic law into governance.
Some states, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, explicitly prioritize Islamic law over democratic principles.

Influence on Non-Muslim Rights and Sectarian Violence

Constitutional language often limits religious freedoms to Islamic law.
Sectarian conflicts may reflect struggles over differing interpretations of Islamic law.

Islamic Law as the Basis of All Laws

All surveyed constitutions are subordinated to Islamic law from ‘Umdat al Salik. (Reliance of the Traveller book)
Even regimes not currently following Islamic law are linked to its principles, reflecting end-state legal norms.

Principles of Sunni Islamic Law

Islam is a complete way of life governed by divine law, not just a religion.
Laws from Allah encompass all aspects of life, including politics, justice, and personal conduct.

Sovereignty and Allah’s Exclusive Authority

Allah alone holds sovereignty; His laws are eternal and cannot be overruled.
Western concepts of democracy conflict with Islamic doctrine of divine sovereignty.

Sources and Fixed vs. Flexible Law

Primary sources are Qur’an and hadith; consensus (ijma) is binding.
Fixed laws are unchangeable; flexible laws adapt within boundaries set by fixed principles.

Interpretation and Scholarly Consensus

Ijma (scholarly consensus) is authoritative and fixed, making dissent difficult.
Challenging established consensus requires demonstrating errors or misinterpretation.

Bid’a and Innovation

Innovation (bid’a) is forbidden; only established doctrines are valid.
New ideas conflicting with consensus or hadith are considered heresy and error.

Abrogation and Progressive Revelation

Later Qur’anic verses can abrogate earlier ones, supporting extremist arguments.
Revelation occurs in stages, with substitution of verses, emphasizing the unchanging core message.

Islamic Law on Abrogation of Religions

Previously valid religions are considered abrogated and invalid in Islamic law.
This doctrine is supported by Qur’an, hadith, and scholarly consensus, making it absolute.

Jihad and Its Legal Foundations

Jihad is a divine obligation, ranked as a “Right of Pure Worship” in Islamic law.
It is rooted in Qur’an, hadith, and consensus, and is mandatory when Muslims are able.

Doctrine of Progressive Revelation and Abrogation

Later Qur’anic verses, especially from Surah Nine, abrogate earlier peaceful verses.
Abrogation shifts Quranic interpretation toward militant themes, influencing jihad laws.

Interfaith Outreach and Doctrinal Constraints

Islamic doctrine opposes recognizing other religions as valid after abrogation.
Outreach efforts are limited by strict adherence to doctrinal interpretations, including hostility toward non-Muslims.

Islamic Beliefs, Practices, and Duties

Islam’s core includes five beliefs, five practices, and three duties based on Allah’s commandments.
The three duties are calling others to Islam, striving in Allah’s cause, and encouraging good while forbidding wrong.

Jihad’s Legal and Theological Foundations

Jihad is a divine duty rooted in Qur’an and hadith, emphasizing warfare to establish Islam.
It is classified as the lesser jihad; spiritual struggle against the lower self is the greater jihad.

Jihad in Education Curricula

Many Muslim countries teach jihad as warfare, citing Qur’anic verses and hadith supporting violence.
Curricula in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt affirm jihad’s obligation and ongoing nature.

Classical Jurisprudence on Jihad

Early scholars like al-Shafi’i and Malik viewed jihad as a collective duty to fight unbelievers.
Martyrdom and holy war are highly valued, with jihad seen as a universal, ongoing obligation.

Submission and World Division

Islamic law divides the world into dar al-Islam and dar al-harb, emphasizing submission through warfare.
Jihad aims to convert or subjugate non-Muslims, establishing Islamic rule globally.

Implications for Threat Assessment

Jihad’s legal definition as warfare to establish religion underpins extremist doctrines.
Misinterpretations or manipulations of Islamic law can legitimize violence against non-Muslims.

Islamic Concepts of Jihad and Warfare

Jihad includes heart, speech, and individual acts supporting submission and conquest.
Non-kinetic elements like heart war and speech war are integral to ongoing Islamic warfare.

Division of the World in Islamic Law

The world is split into dar al-Islam (Islamic territory) and dar al-harb (territory of war).
The dar al-harb remains a permanent object of Islamic conquest and hostility.

Submission, Tolerance, and Treatment of Non-Muslims

Non-Muslims under Islamic rule pay jizyah and follow rules that humiliate and subordinate them.
Submission is conditional; breach reverts them to prisoner status, emphasizing dominance.

Language and Rhetoric in Jihad

Extremists use Islamic legal language to legitimize violence and control the debate.
Holy rage and calls for violence are rooted in Islamic doctrines and influence individual actions.

Broad Muslim Response to Muhammad Cartoons

Leaders across the Muslim world condemned Denmark and called for boycotts and apologies.
Statements emphasized that insulting Muhammad is an insult to Islam, with threats of extreme responses.

Islamic Law and Jihad Doctrine

Jihad is defined as warfare to establish Islam, with consensus across centuries.
Non-kinetic jihad includes heart, speech, and individual jihad, emphasizing continuous psychological and political warfare.

Islamic Concepts of Submission and Slander

Disclosing information that insults Islam or Muslims is forbidden, risking severe penalties.
Islamic law promotes deception and silence to protect faith and avoid slander, influencing responses to threats.

Influence of Islamic Doctrine on Extremism

Extremist rhetoric aligns with Islamic legal principles, emphasizing jihad as a duty and war of will.
Mainstream Islamic organizations echo militant language, framing insults as threats requiring submission.

Western Response and Submission Campaign

Western nations face pressure to limit free speech and adopt Islamic norms to avoid conflict.
Efforts include proposing laws criminalizing insults to Islam, reflecting submission to Islamic law.

Islamic Justification for Jihad

Jihad aims to establish God’s authority and abolish Satanic systems.
It seeks to end tyranny and promote divine guidance in life.

Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Law

Brotherhood claims align with traditional Islamic jihad, including law-based mandates.
Leaders like Qaradawi and ‘Akef advocate jihad, validated by Islamic law and scholars.

Iraqi Constitution and Islamic Law

Article 2 subordinates laws to Islam’s undisputed rules, favoring Islamic law over the constitution.
Sunni and Shia differ on authority sources; Sunni rely on ijma’, Shia on Imams’ infallibility.

Legal Authority and Jurisdiction Issues

Iraqi law lacks clear Islamic law court authority, risking tribal and sectarian control.
Pakistan’s model shows full subordination; Iraq’s silence may weaken federal authority.

Doctrine of Progressive Revelation and Abrogation

Quranic revelation occurred in stages, with later verses often overriding earlier ones.
Extremist ideology uses this doctrine to justify staged implementation of jihad.

Interpretation of Verse 5:51 and Caliphate Rulings

Fatwa from the Caliphate forbids friendship with non-believers, grounded in Islamic law.
Such rulings demonstrate the Caliphate’s authority to issue binding legal judgments.

Classification of Hadith Transmission

Hadiths are categorized as singular, rare, or well-known based on narrators.
These classifications do not determine authenticity but relate to reliability and transmission stages.

Greater and Lesser Jihad Concepts

Many Muslims view Jihad as two types: greater (against desires) and lesser (battlefield).
Weak hadiths support these distinctions, but authentic hadith emphasize jihad as warfare.

Authenticity and Weak Hadith

Weak hadiths about greater jihad are unreliable and often contradict authentic texts.
Strong hadiths affirm jihad as warfare to establish religion, not spiritual metaphor.

Islamic Law on Warfare

Jihad involves warfare, destruction, and booty, with rules on conduct and targets.
Authorities like al-Ghazali acknowledged warfare’s legal status, not spiritual struggle.

Modern Islamic Rulings on War

1915 Fatwa and Quranic concepts justify jihad as duty, including war, speech, and martyrdom.
Calls for global jihad and unbounded violence, including killing non-Muslims and non-combatants.

Non-Muslim Authority and Jurisdiction

Non-Muslims cannot judge Muslims; Islamic law prohibits infidels from ruling over Muslims.
This doctrinal stance influences Muslim communities’ legal and political views.

Islamic Doctrine of Jihad and Warfare

Jihad by bands (brigandage) was used when Islam was weak, guided by Prophet’s practices.
Modern secret formations and oaths of excess are encouraged for jihad activities.

Islamic Legal and Doctrinal Foundations

1915 Fatwa and QCW are authoritative Islamic rulings on war, emphasizing jihad as a duty.
Warfare is often defensive, aiming to establish Islam’s dominance, with strict rules on treatment of prisoners.

Strategy and Tactics in Islamic Warfare

Quranic strategy emphasizes terror to demoralize enemies and strike psychological blows.
Terror is both a means and an end, integral to Islamic warfighting doctrine.

Islamic View of International System and Sovereignty

Islam rejects modern sovereignty, emphasizing Allah’s sole authority.
The Islamic world sees itself as a unified ummah, separate from Western international law.

Islamic Perspectives on Jihad and Law