''I don't think New Zealand should get involved.
''War is not what we need.
''What we need is for them, the powers of this region, to find a solution which is their own solution, not our own solution.''
Ms Napoleoni has spent 15 years studying terrorism and is due to speak at the Aspiring Conversations ''Festival of Ideas'' in Wanaka tomorrow and Queenstown on Saturday.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times this week, Ms Napoleoni argued with the notion the entire population of the Islamic State region is suppressed by a terrorist regime.
''I don't think you should say that.
''The population in this region is actually in business with the Islamic State.''
IS, she said, levied taxes and shared with tribes the running of infrastructure, such as the water supply to agriculture.
Oil revenue provided some income but was not as important as had been reported.
''The oil is just one aspect of the story.''
While she agreed Christians and other non-Sunni religions were suppressed, Ms Napoleoni said Iraqi Sunni were ''actually better off'' and that was why IS had been so successful.
''If you go to Raqqa, which is the capital, life is running much better now than when the rebels controlled the town because there is law and order, because they are running the infrastructure properly, because there is an Islamic court, where you can go with your complaint.
''So there is a certain kind of normality.
''I mean it is a very rough state; it's not a proper state.
''But in places like Raqqa for sure you can see that there is consensus inside the state.
''And then there are other places where of course the population has been displaced and of course they don't want to be part of the Islamic State.
''It is very complex.
''It is not good and evil at all.
''There are many shades of grey in between.''
Asked why countries such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia and potentially New Zealand should be involved, Ms Napoleoni said that was a question for politicians.
''I think the best solution is to let them fight their own war and solve their own problems.
''I mean, why should we go there?''We are protecting countries like Saudi Arabia and all the gulf states who actually funded these organisations before and now they are threatened by these organisations.''
''I don't think this is good against evil at all.
''It depends from which point of view you are looking at it.''
