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Unholy Alliance: The Agenda Iran, Russia, and Jihadists Share for Conquering the World

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The New York Times bestselling author of Rise of ISIS exposes the dangers of radical Islam and the effects it has on the American way of life in this informative and eye-opening new book.In Unholy Alliance, Jay Sekulow highlights and defines the looming threat of radical Islam. A movement born in Iran during the Islamic Revolution in 1979, radical Islam has at its heart the goal of complete world domination. As this movement has grown, Iran has entered into alliances with Syria and Russia, leading to a deadly game of geopolitical threats and violence. Not only will you better understand jihadist terror, but you will also learn about Sharia law—a legal code that removes all personal liberty and is starkly incompatible with the US Constitution. All Muslims are required to follow Sharia—as are all who live in lands controlled by Islam. It is the goal of radical Islam to see Sharia instituted across the globe. If we are to combat radical Islam’s agenda of domination, we must arm ourselves with knowledge. With carefully researched history, legal-case studies, and in-depth interviews, Unholy Alliance lays out the ideology and strategy of radical Islam, as well as the path we must take to defeat it.

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2016

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Jay Sekulow

16 books39 followers
Jay Alan Sekulow

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Abby Pechin.
402 reviews
December 17, 2016
A very good and current viewpoint on the dispute between Islamic terrorists and the United States. However, I disagree with the author's condemnation of Russia, which is also a world superpower that rivals the United States. In my opinion, we need to cooperate with Russia in order to provide the best protection for the world against ISIS. In addition, it was interesting that the author posits that the nations in power, particularly the US, actually created the conflict by effectively placing Israel, a Jewish nation, in the middle of many Muslim nations. In sum, this book is very informative for someone who enjoys politics or would be a great refreshing read for someone who is not as into politics but would like to know more about ISIS, Islam, and Terrorism. I was especially impressed with the descriptions and comparisons of Sharia law to criminal law.
33 reviews1 follower
December 6, 2016
Eyes wide open

Good summation of how we got to our current balance of power between US, Russia, and the Middle East. Also a solid contrast and history of the Islam vs Western democracy conflict. The writer supports his view that the "Obama vacuum" created Isis and has strengthened Iran and Russia. Quick read for anyone who wants to get a sense of how and why we are fighting a war against radical Islam.
Profile Image for Steve Schlutow.
774 reviews6 followers
December 17, 2016
This book was informative, I learned a lot. Therefore I thought it was a pretty good book. An editorial was just published about Aleppo was just published in our local paper that summed up the "Unholy Alliance" that this book speaks about--right/left--it is a very good article:



Genocide in Aleppo: Never again, yet again
BY MARTIN SCHRAM Tribune News Service

The latest monument to the legacy of President Barack Obama’s Nobel Prize-winning global leadership fills our news screens.

It looks like a city of dollhouses, a tableau of grays upon grays — apartment dwellings with the walls blown away on the side facing us. We cannot look away, so we stare inside these dollhouse-like living rooms and bedrooms where children should be playing and parents should be doing chores or just relaxing.

But the dollhouses are as lifeless as they are colorless. So are the streets.

Nothing is moving; and that moves us most of all. For we know humans are still there — buried beneath the rubble. Welcome to Syria’s once-vibrant city of Aleppo.

Make no mistake: All the world knows Aleppo will forever be remembered for the villainy of Syria’s bloodstained butcher, President Bashar Assad, his equally bloodstained enabler, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, and Iran’s militias that have assisted in the street slaughter.

But it will also be remembered as yet another genocide the United States failed to act to stop. The world had higher hopes for Obama’s leadership. Years ago, after America’s still-new president addressed the potential of the Arab Spring in a speech in Cairo, the Nobel dreamers awarded him their peace prize.

But more than a decade of battles in the region had left America and its president worse than war-weary. Obama infamously drew his “red line” warning Assad against using chemical weapons — but when Assad used them, Obama didn’t respond militarily. Later, Obama, NATO and other world leaders didn’t create a no-fly zone and safe zone to safeguard Syria’s civilians.

On Tuesday afternoon, far away from Aleppo’s horror, in the United Nations Security Council, America’s U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power delivered a searing indictment of the genocide perpetrated by Syria, Russia and Iran.

Power began by recounting horrific and heart-wrenching descriptions of the slaughter of Syria’s civilians. Assad and his Russian enablers even targeted and bombed Aleppo’s hospitals so no victims could be treated.

“This is what is being done to the people of eastern Aleppo, to fathers, and mothers, and sons, and daughters, brothers, and sisters like each of us here,” Power said. She spoke of “first responders describing children’s voices from beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings. … There are no first responders or equipment left to dig them out, and no doctors left to treat them.”

Many news deliverers barely covered Power’s globally urgent message. That’s a case of media misfeasance — because there are two ways we must read Power’s powerful address. One is the way she said it — as an indictment of Assad, Putin and Iran’s leaders. The other is as an indictment of all world leaders who failed to prevent this slaughter of Aleppo’s civilians.

So: As you read Power’s indictment, insert in your own minds Obama’s name and the leaders of NATO nations and all globally involved countries who feigned powerlessness to mask war weariness.

“Are you truly incapable of shame?” Power asked. “Is there literally nothing that can shame you? Is there no act of barbarism against civilians, no execution of a child that gets under your skin, that just creeps you out a little bit?”

Power said earlier: “When one day there is a full accounting of the horrors committed in this assault of Aleppo — and that day will come, sooner or later — you will not be able to say you did not know what was happening. You will not be able to say you were not involved. We all know what is happening. And we all know you are involved.

“Aleppo will join the ranks of those events in world history that define modern evil, that stain our conscience decades later. Halabja, Rwanda, Srebrenica and now Aleppo.”

We recall former President Bill Clinton’s admission that his greatest regret was his failure to prevent the genocide in Rwanda. Soon Obama and his fellow world leaders will be appending the horror of Aleppo with apologies and sincere vows of “Never again!”

Sadly, it’s what we do. Again and again.


Profile Image for Rachel.
452 reviews
May 24, 2022
Wow, the bias is so bad in this book. I intended to read this book to learn more about Iran and the Middle East, but parsing through the information was difficult between the author loudly proclaiming how utterly perfect America was in every single way, except for how horrible Obama and administration was. It was hilarious how he goes through casually on how Muslims were upset that Americans were in Saudi Arabia, but doesn't bother to mention the president then. He only likes to talk about the decisions of Obama and how awful he is.

You can always tell a conservative book that way. They are very quick to blame Democrats for the woes of the world, but never talk about the mistakes of Republican presidents.

The author mentions the history of Iran and other countries in quick succession, not really dwelling on subjects and quickly skipping to each bit. He also briefly talks about the Muslim faith and how it is built for making the entire world Muslim. He repeats quite often about how not all Muslims are not extremists, despite how he admits he assumes all shootings or terrorist attacks are Muslims at the beginning. He also talks about how we have to go through all Muslim migrants to find extremists.

I agree with him on finding terrorists. However, I am still learning about the area and the culture. I am not quick to agree with this bestselling lawyer. I don't know what qualified him to be an expert on the Middle East and Islam besides an internet search, which I am also perfectly capable of doing, as long as I can parse through the bias of conservative thought that hates Islam so much.

He is also a Zionist and is quick to say that Israel/Palestine didn't have any Palestinians. Sure bud. You're wrong, seeing how Muslims, Christians, and a small amount of Jews were all in the Holy Land before the large migration of Jews went there.

Anyway, I gave this book two stars because I did learn some things through the bias. I sure wish the author learned more about other religions besides Muslims and Christians, because that is all he can talk about.

Profile Image for Sajith Kumar.
725 reviews144 followers
August 11, 2017
The Middle East is a very unstable place now. Civil war, religious strife, terrorism and belligerent leaders make this region a grave cause of concern for the entire world on account of the vast quantities of oil exported from there to all parts of the globe, which makes the global economy ticking on. Any upset in the Middle East is guaranteed immediately to reflect in escalated fuel prices around the world. Any catastrophic hindrance to shipment of oil could even lead to recession of the economy that’d cause loss of jobs and civil unrest in a large way. All factors make it imperative for the people of the world to understand what is going on in the Middle East and the parameters that decide the flow of events. Jay Sekulow is a prominent free-speech and religious liberties litigator in the US, having argued twelve times before the US Supreme Court in some of the most groundbreaking First Amendment cases of the past quarter century. As chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), he is a renowned constitutional attorney and an acclaimed and distinguished broadcaster. In this book, Seklulow writes about the deadly situation in the Middle East and the reasons for violence and terrorism which originated there, but is now spilling over to the West under the guise of political asylum to refugees fleeing the war zone in the Middle East. This book makes a general survey of Islam, its history and guiding principles and the history of the Middle East.

Jihad is a religious tenet enjoined for all Muslims in which religious war is to be waged against unbelief. Sharp political observers were quick to leverage this aspect in ways favourable to them against their own fellows in the West with whom they were at war. Germany funded the jihadists at the turn of the twentieth century. Max von Oppenheim, a wealthy explorer, writer and later diplomat, plotted to kill other Europeans by jihadists. He could organize some brave effort, but all of which failed miserably. The Sanussi tribesmen attacked Egypt from Libya, which was instantaneously crushed. The Silk Letter Conspiracy in India was discovered by the British even before it began. However, this episode is little known in Indian history and need to be examined in detail by scholars.

Sekulow makes a study of the differences fundamental to Muslim and Western minds. The Muslim mind is influenced only by Islam, while the Western one is said to be moulded by the concepts of liberty, freedom and diversity, stemming from Judeo-Christian principles such as the imago Dei, which gives inherent value to all human life. Another pillar of difference is the cultural foundation of the two. The Islamic society is based on a ‘shame culture’, where one’s own social standing is adversely affected only when the facts of an evil deed is known to the society. The Westerners follow a ‘guilt culture’, where a person is eaten from the inside by guilt of the deed committed by him. This provides for confession by that individual and reconciliation. The third point of difference is that the Islamic world is intergenerational and community-oriented, whereas the West is much more concerned with individual liberty. Ingenuous the perceived differences are, but the author seems to be lauding the stereotypes.

The book takes another shot at radical Islam in comparing the concept of peace as conceived in the West against that of the Islamic world. Peace in the West is the state of coexisting with neighbours, respecting their rights and beliefs and requiring others to respect ours. To radical Muslims, peace is the state when all infidels have been converted, killed or forced to pay tribute and live by Sharia. The author has a valid point here. India is a country in which the Muslims are in a minority, but the nation grants them a secular polity and equal rights. Mutual respect of religions is a necessary prerequisite for furtherance of such lofty ideals. But, do the radical and say, some of the moderate Muslims in India respect other religions? An honest answer is hard to come by in the open. Sekulow quotes an Islamic scholar on the four teachings in madrassas (religious schools) in Pakistan. The principles are 1) If kufr (disbelief, denial of Islam), shirk (saying anything about the oneness of Allah), or irtidad (apostasy) occurs anywhere in the world, the punishment is death and Muslims must enforce that punishment 2) non-Muslims are born to be subjugated. Only Muslims have the right to rule the world. Every non-Muslim government is illegitimate. When Muslims have power, they must take over that government 3) the world must have one government of Muslims, called Khilafah (caliphate). There is no need for separate governments and 4) the concept of modern nation states is kufr, which has no place in Islam. Doubtless to say, these teachings are repeated everywhere radical Muslims preach the doctrine.

An unstated aim of the book is to glorify America as the only country that stands up to and fights the terrorists. The author’s assertion that ‘the United States of America is the greatest country on the face of the earth’ (p.40) sets the tone of what is to come. While narrating the rise of Osama bin Laden in the Afghan war against the Soviets, the author does not mention even once that he was supported by the US in this mission. Shiite Iran’s unholy alliance with Sunni extremists and Russia is the motive of the book, but its alleged simultaneous backing of the Assad regime in Syria and the al-Nusra front is not logical. The book was published during the run up to American presidential election, and Barack Obama is severely criticized for his follies in the Middle East policy. The power vacuum created by Obama’s evacuation of US troops in Iraq was taken over by Russia, Iran and the ISIS. Sekulow assumes that the Judeo-Christian worldview underpinning the Western society is inherently benevolent and does not take into consideration the Enlightenment in Europe that firmly put religion in its place. The book hosts a very large number of notes for clarifying points and a good index.

The book is highly recommended.
3 reviews1 follower
March 6, 2017
Eyeopening

A very well written account of the Islam faith and it's history. I chose this book after listening to Jay Sekulow live program and wanting to learn more. I recommend this book to everyone who is a patriot and loves this great United States & desires to maintain our freedoms. It also equips us with an argument for the passive ones that want to argue that Sharia Law can't be all that bad.
Profile Image for Damien Thorn..
13 reviews2 followers
December 22, 2023
Unsophisticated Neoconservative pop political book tailored for an unsophisticated and docile Silent Generation/Boomer FOX News-binge-watching audience. Erroneously conflates state actors and non-state actors such as Iran and ISIL; bereft of any nuisance in its criticisms.
Profile Image for John Machata.
1,566 reviews18 followers
November 1, 2016
Interesting read. Mr. Sekulow's biases are transparent. Lots of facts but stacked so as to support the author's thesis.
Profile Image for Cassie.
3 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2018
A little too propagandic for my personal tastes, but did give me some interesting insights and stuff to think about.
11 reviews
November 26, 2018
Incredibly informative. A good primer for people who want to understand what the fuck is happening. Well written and goes straight to the point. Provides hundreds of citations supporting his main thesis. However, only 1 chapter was dedicated to explaining Russia’s alliance with Iran- doesn’t go very in depth on that. The vast majority of the book is focused on the history and conflicts in the Middle East. Either way, will use this book as a basis for getting to one side of the story.

Excerpts from the last chapter "AN IDEOLOGICAL WAR: What Can We Do?"

".. it's in the constant indoctrination of the "politically correct" media narrative decrying "intolerance" or "Islamophobia" when any connection is drawn between the Islamic religion and radical terrorism. [...] Calling an act of terrorism by its name is not Islamophobia. Identifying who committed the act is not Islamophobia. Trying to understand Islam is not Islamophobia, either. We must recognize what tolerance is- and what it is not. Telling the truth about radical jihadists is not Islamophobic, nor is it intolerant- it's being honest. It's caring about saving lives. We must distinguish between commonsense analysis and irrational hatred. "


"The responsibility of raising a voice against revolutionary jihad does not primarily rest on non-Muslims. Muslims who oppose it also have an obligation to speak up. After all, if the jihadists are misinterpreting Islam, it is the reformers within Islam whose religion is being tarnished. They are in a better position to defend their religion, condemn religiously based terrorism, and fight those who kill in its name. [...] We must encourage reformers within Islam to actively fight the jihadists, and we must assist them when and where we can. "


"On June 6, 2015, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi [..] said that Muslims are becoming terrorists because of the religious thought and teachings they are receiving in the madrassas (Islamic seminaries) and in their political movements. [...] Ghamidi says too many Muslims are being taught this narrative about Islam. He suggests that a counternarrative must be taught. Otherwise Muslims will continue to become terrorists, one after another, and the Middle East will become a living hell. [...]"


"At this point, we must also recognize that Pakistani madrassas are overwhelmingly supported by petrodollars from our "ally" Saudi Arabia. The U.S Government must recognize this fact and develop a policy to confront Saudi Arabia and pressure it to stop such support."
Profile Image for Ray.
1,064 reviews56 followers
January 31, 2017
Jay Sekulow's recent book "Unholy Alliance: The Agenda Iran, Russia, and Jihadists Share for Conquering the World" reiterated much of what Americans and Europeans have seen and experienced over the past fifteen years, i.e., there's an element of radical Islamists seeking to attack Western democracies whenever and wherever they can. In the first part of the book, Sekulow discusses some of the basic tenants of Islam, the origins of the beliefs, and differences between Shiite and Sunni elements of Islam.
Sekulow emphasizes that Iran is a major source of hatred and a major supporter various radical elements throughout the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah. And while the sub-title of the book includes a reference to Russia, it's only in the last ten percent of the book or so where Russia seems to be discussed, and then it's mostly in regard to Russia and Iran both working to support the Assad government in Syria.
Sekulow also makes the point that the Obama Administration's failure to stay engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan created a void in leadership in the area - a void subsequently filled by Iran and Russia. Because this book was written before the 2016 U.S. elections, Sekulow didn't discuss newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump, but it's apparent that he would be supportive of Trump's stated intention to take the fight to and quickly defeat ISIS and the terrorist Islamist elements.
Readers with an interest in this subject might also be interested in reading one or more of the following, which contain similar messages and warnings, but in a slightly better way: Ayaan Hirsi Ali's "Heretic"; Brigitte Gabriel's "They Must Be Stopped"; Kenneth Timmerman's "Preachers of Hate"; Geert Wilders' "Marked for Death: Islam's War Against the West and Me; Peter Bergen's "Holy War, Inc."; Glen Beck's "It IS About Islam"; "Milton Viorst's "Storm From the East"; Robert Baer's "The Devil We Know"; Michael Scheuer's "Marching Toward Hell"; Mark Steyn's "America Alone"; and George Friedman's "America's Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between America and Its Enemies".
Profile Image for Hans.
58 reviews
March 21, 2024
Score: 1/5 (not worth finishing)
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Themes: religion, geopolitics
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Summary: the author has an absolutist view of historic and current (to the time of writing) events. The most consistent argument is that the United States and Islam are monolithic entities "at war" with one another.

This lack of nuance makes it difficult to listen to the author unironically endorsing a worldview in which "they" (all Muslims) are trying to exterminate "us" (all Americans) and so war is justified. And this is all while condemning the minority of Muslim extremists who peddle the same message.

Only recommended insofar as I generally recommend acquiring the skill of listening to those with whom you disagree.

Abandoned at 36% of the audiobook.
Profile Image for Gary Keisling.
7 reviews
April 14, 2021
This is a fascinating look into the religious, social and political dynamics of the Middle East noting the relationships of European nations, the United States and the emerging relationship between Iran and Russia. In each case, Sekulow concludes the driving ambition of each nation has been furthering their self interest at the expense of nations in the Middle East. The rise of Jihadist introduces a dynamic not previously seen in the relationship between Arab and non-Arab nations.

Extensive research, typical of a renown attorney, characterizes the content Sekulow develops in this examination of the contemporary global dynamics facing nations in the quest for global supremacy.
92 reviews2 followers
August 14, 2017
This is a hard book to review. It reads like a doomsday revelation. Many of the chapters appear to be based upon good references but there is a funny feeling to the book.I am optimistic enough to question whether the future predictions will be as negative as described in the book. I do believe that the future holds much violence, bloodshed and death and the free world has many serious enemies to confront. I also believe that the Arab or Muslim culture is opposite in many ways to the judean-christian culture and is the fundamental or basic cause of the terrorist conflict.
574 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2018
Sekulow gives great insight into the broad Islamic agenda on world dominance and the collaboration that goes on between Sunnis and Shia in the goal of humiliating the west. Iranian oil money enables them to meddle broadly with the stated goal of obliteration of Israel and humbling of the west. It is a very sobering book. The collaboration with Russia also documents the deep roots that Putin has in communist ideology and world dominance.

A lot of powerful observations are present in this book for the thoughtful reader.
Profile Image for Adam Ricks.
571 reviews20 followers
June 13, 2017
This was a good summation of the history of the conflict between the West and Islam. It presents the history behind the powers of the US, Russia, Israel, ISIS. Very informative and well researched. The author expresses his viewpoints early on and he presents the histories in order to bolster his views - but in general I thought it was a good overview of why Islam is fighting against the West and why it is such a serious threat.
Profile Image for Nancy Chambers.
176 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2018
Reading this book you may want to take notes because the Middle East situation is so complicated. Alliances are together in their common goal of destroying Israel and the USA and bringing the world under Islam but after that they sometimes fight each other and align with enemies. Very well researched and I learned so much about the area, history and alliances. I borrowed this from the library but I’m going to buy it. Well worth having.
547 reviews2 followers
November 28, 2020
Since reading Bernard Lewis in the early 2000s, I haven't kept up with Islam. This book shows how approaching Muslims and Islam from a Western viewpoint is sure to cause disappointment. It shows how our approaches to religion, authority, and our way of life are diametrically opposed. Information is power and understanding our differences honestly will hopefully help us navigate the future.
14 reviews
June 23, 2021
Eye-opening! I had no idea about the interactions between the Muslim nations and other surrounding nations. There are so many connections and so much history that no one talks about. This book really connected the dots.
Profile Image for John.
870 reviews
September 8, 2022
The examination of Iran's history and policies is relatively complete. The involvement of Russia and its opportunities to gain is not very well developed. The Jihadists are among us and will ultimately turn on the Russians in due course. Thought provoking.
Profile Image for Joan Pol.
1 review
May 10, 2023
Extremely biased, offering a one-sided view of the events, more of a republican electoral speech rather than a objective description. Sekulow appears shameless even proud to show his bias, to the extent that is unbearable to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
53 reviews2 followers
June 13, 2017
Very well researched book. Author covered Iran and ISIS deeply, not much on Russia.
Profile Image for Rick Davis.
Author 1 book3 followers
October 6, 2017
Great explanation of the events taking place in the Middle East
Profile Image for MARY GRACE.
178 reviews3 followers
October 22, 2019
In my opinion, the author wrote from a patriotic, Christian perspective. I learned some new things.
128 reviews
September 21, 2020
A nice concise little summary of the two islams...the politically correct religion of peace version and the sharia law jihad version...worth going through a few more times
Profile Image for Sven.
95 reviews
August 30, 2024
Good summary of Islamic terrorist history and the connection between countries, groups and different actors. The 7 year old book predicts or gives hints to some current events.
1 review1 follower
March 8, 2017
This book although much of the info is repeat of already shared work is informative. I found very little objectivity however and his personal feelings are very obvious. I have listened to his radio show for years but recently stopped listening. I began listening in search of current issues from a Christian perspective. As years passed and his popularity grew, so did his biases and prejudices grow (more recent they are racial prejudices) as I find evident in this book. I don't really mind him having them but I mind when it is done in the name of God. This is much like what he condemns others of doing.
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