Divided Not Conquered

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Terrorist, rebel, and insurgent groups often face significant challenges, leading to infighting, instability, and division. These fractures can have profound implications, as evidenced by the Islamic State's split from Al Qaeda and ongoing issues within the Irish Republican Army and Palestinian factions. This work explores the internal dynamics of armed groups, focusing on the specific disagreements that drive these fractures. It identifies ideology, leadership, and strategy as key factors influencing splinter behavior. By integrating insights from organizational studies and social psychology, the analysis reveals that splinters motivated by a single, shared disagreement tend to exhibit greater cohesion and clearer objectives, enhancing their survivability. In contrast, those driven by strategic disagreements often attract hardline operatives, leading to more radical tactics. The book employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing statistical analyses to establish a link between internal disputes and splinter behavior across various contexts. Case studies of militants in Northern Ireland, Spain, and the Islamic State further validate these findings. Ultimately, this research shifts the focus from external pressures to the internal dynamics that shape the fragmentation, operation, and survival of armed groups, offering valuable insights for counterinsurgency and counterterrorism efforts.