Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter focuses on the education of Osama bin Laden from 1957 to 1979. It provides a background on bin Laden’s youth and his family, as well as the impact of his father, Muhammad bin-Awad bin ...
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This chapter focuses on the education of Osama bin Laden from 1957 to 1979. It provides a background on bin Laden’s youth and his family, as well as the impact of his father, Muhammad bin-Awad bin Laden, on his life. It also considers bin Laden’s relationship with his mother, Allia; his ties to the bin Laden clan; his religious beliefs and passion for hard work; and his love for Islamic history and for the Muslim ummah. Finally, the chapter examines how hard work, perseverance, stubbornness, genuine religious faith, self-reliance, and risk-taking influenced the way bin Laden ran the al-Qaeda organization as well as the kind of war it waged against those they suspected to be enemies of Islam.Less
This chapter focuses on the education of Osama bin Laden from 1957 to 1979. It provides a background on bin Laden’s youth and his family, as well as the impact of his father, Muhammad bin-Awad bin Laden, on his life. It also considers bin Laden’s relationship with his mother, Allia; his ties to the bin Laden clan; his religious beliefs and passion for hard work; and his love for Islamic history and for the Muslim ummah. Finally, the chapter examines how hard work, perseverance, stubbornness, genuine religious faith, self-reliance, and risk-taking influenced the way bin Laden ran the al-Qaeda organization as well as the kind of war it waged against those they suspected to be enemies of Islam.
Alia Brahimi
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199562961
- eISBN:
- 9780191595059
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199562961.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory, International Relations and Politics
This chapter continues the discussion of the Islamic jus ad bellum by looking at Osama bin Laden's just war claims in three other areas: right authority, last resort, and reasonable hope of success. ...
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This chapter continues the discussion of the Islamic jus ad bellum by looking at Osama bin Laden's just war claims in three other areas: right authority, last resort, and reasonable hope of success. In setting out al‐Qaeda's case for war, bin Laden does not depend solely on faith‐based statements about good versus evil. Instead, he offers a series of sometimes intricate arguments that connect with the jihad tradition and endeavour to present al‐Qaeda's cause as authorized, necessary, and practical. Despite his best efforts, however, the legacy of bin Laden's case for the resort to war is that of innovation.Less
This chapter continues the discussion of the Islamic jus ad bellum by looking at Osama bin Laden's just war claims in three other areas: right authority, last resort, and reasonable hope of success. In setting out al‐Qaeda's case for war, bin Laden does not depend solely on faith‐based statements about good versus evil. Instead, he offers a series of sometimes intricate arguments that connect with the jihad tradition and endeavour to present al‐Qaeda's cause as authorized, necessary, and practical. Despite his best efforts, however, the legacy of bin Laden's case for the resort to war is that of innovation.
Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s apprenticeship in the Afghan jihad in Pakistan between 1979 and 1989. It looks at bin Laden’s primary role in the Afghan jihad, which was to collect and then ...
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This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s apprenticeship in the Afghan jihad in Pakistan between 1979 and 1989. It looks at bin Laden’s primary role in the Afghan jihad, which was to collect and then distribute funds to the mujahedin from Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries. It also considers his cooperation with Saudi Prince Turki, then chief of the Saudi intelligence service, the General Intelligence Directorate (GID); the influence of Abdullah Azzam Shaykh Abdullah Azzam (1941–1989) on bin Laden’s life; bin Laden’s establishment of an organization called the Makhtab al-Khadamat (“Services Bureau”) in collaboration with Azzam and Azzam’s son-in-law Boudjema Bounoua; and bin Laden’s construction work in Afghanistan. Finally, the chapter examines bin Laden’s training of an Arab-only unit, his belief that jihad is Islam’s only means of survival from foreign enemies, and the way he ran al-Qaeda.Less
This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s apprenticeship in the Afghan jihad in Pakistan between 1979 and 1989. It looks at bin Laden’s primary role in the Afghan jihad, which was to collect and then distribute funds to the mujahedin from Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries. It also considers his cooperation with Saudi Prince Turki, then chief of the Saudi intelligence service, the General Intelligence Directorate (GID); the influence of Abdullah Azzam Shaykh Abdullah Azzam (1941–1989) on bin Laden’s life; bin Laden’s establishment of an organization called the Makhtab al-Khadamat (“Services Bureau”) in collaboration with Azzam and Azzam’s son-in-law Boudjema Bounoua; and bin Laden’s construction work in Afghanistan. Finally, the chapter examines bin Laden’s training of an Arab-only unit, his belief that jihad is Islam’s only means of survival from foreign enemies, and the way he ran al-Qaeda.
Alia Brahimi
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199562961
- eISBN:
- 9780191595059
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199562961.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory, International Relations and Politics
This chapter begins with an overview of the development of the Islamic just war tradition (jihad). It then narrows the focus to the critical issue of just cause. Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman ...
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This chapter begins with an overview of the development of the Islamic just war tradition (jihad). It then narrows the focus to the critical issue of just cause. Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al‐Zawahiri, consistently maintain that aggression is both wrong and illegal, and that in using violence al‐Qaeda is merely repelling America's attacks. However, since the United States had launched no invasion of bin Laden's country before 11 September, be it Saudi Arabia, Sudan or Afghanistan, it was incumbent upon him to redefine the concept of ‘aggression’. This attempt was contested a series of Muslim leaders who described al‐Qaeda as the belligerent party on 9/11.Less
This chapter begins with an overview of the development of the Islamic just war tradition (jihad). It then narrows the focus to the critical issue of just cause. Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al‐Zawahiri, consistently maintain that aggression is both wrong and illegal, and that in using violence al‐Qaeda is merely repelling America's attacks. However, since the United States had launched no invasion of bin Laden's country before 11 September, be it Saudi Arabia, Sudan or Afghanistan, it was incumbent upon him to redefine the concept of ‘aggression’. This attempt was contested a series of Muslim leaders who described al‐Qaeda as the belligerent party on 9/11.
Alia Brahimi
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199562961
- eISBN:
- 9780191595059
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199562961.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory, International Relations and Politics
In the ‘war on terror’ both sides have taken great pains to justify their actions in moral terms. As force is employed so are sophisticated arguments which directly invoke the just war traditions of ...
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In the ‘war on terror’ both sides have taken great pains to justify their actions in moral terms. As force is employed so are sophisticated arguments which directly invoke the just war traditions of the West and Islam. This book explores the moral‐theological arguments for war offered by the George W. Bush administration and al‐Qaeda. It examines the way in which these actors have drawn upon key just war concepts and, in some cases, reconceptualized their scope and content. The book's principal contention is that, in significant ways, the just war arguments of Bush and bin Laden are inconsistent with the moral requirements of their respective just war traditions. In two parts, the book examines these arguments in relation to the body of thought which comprises the Western just war tradition and that of Islamic jihad, and assesses the consistency of Bush and bin Laden's claims. The central argument of the book—that the Bush administration and al‐Qaeda depart from important consensuses about justified warfare—contains within it an alternative way of understanding the war on terror. Rather than a clash between civilizations, it is suggested that the war on terror can be accounted for by a clash within civilizations: in resorting to violence, both sides have acted against their own traditions and contravened the requirements of their own civilizations.Less
In the ‘war on terror’ both sides have taken great pains to justify their actions in moral terms. As force is employed so are sophisticated arguments which directly invoke the just war traditions of the West and Islam. This book explores the moral‐theological arguments for war offered by the George W. Bush administration and al‐Qaeda. It examines the way in which these actors have drawn upon key just war concepts and, in some cases, reconceptualized their scope and content. The book's principal contention is that, in significant ways, the just war arguments of Bush and bin Laden are inconsistent with the moral requirements of their respective just war traditions. In two parts, the book examines these arguments in relation to the body of thought which comprises the Western just war tradition and that of Islamic jihad, and assesses the consistency of Bush and bin Laden's claims. The central argument of the book—that the Bush administration and al‐Qaeda depart from important consensuses about justified warfare—contains within it an alternative way of understanding the war on terror. Rather than a clash between civilizations, it is suggested that the war on terror can be accounted for by a clash within civilizations: in resorting to violence, both sides have acted against their own traditions and contravened the requirements of their own civilizations.
Susan Moeller, Joanna Nurmis, and Saranaz Barforoush
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252038860
- eISBN:
- 9780252096822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252038860.003.0007
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Media Studies
This chapter provides a comparative analysis of visual representations surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden. In the minutes and hours after the news of bin Laden's killing broke across social ...
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This chapter provides a comparative analysis of visual representations surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden. In the minutes and hours after the news of bin Laden's killing broke across social media and then through President Barack Obama's brief May 1 speech to the nation, news outlets across the world scrambled to cover the story of the decade. With no immediately forthcoming photos of bin Laden's corpse, mainstream news outlets were excused from the ethical as well as moral binary decision about whether to show or not show images of bin Laden's corpse. Instead, news outlets the world over had a set of decisions to make about what kind of image to select to accompany the announcement of bin Laden's death. The choice of which visual would lead the news became a complex, even political decision. Some news outlets chose to run archival photos of bin Laden; others used iconic images of al Qaeda's attack on the World Trade Center towers on 9/11. In essence, through their choices, news outlets decided how to visually “frame” the death of Osama bin Laden, the world's most wanted man.Less
This chapter provides a comparative analysis of visual representations surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden. In the minutes and hours after the news of bin Laden's killing broke across social media and then through President Barack Obama's brief May 1 speech to the nation, news outlets across the world scrambled to cover the story of the decade. With no immediately forthcoming photos of bin Laden's corpse, mainstream news outlets were excused from the ethical as well as moral binary decision about whether to show or not show images of bin Laden's corpse. Instead, news outlets the world over had a set of decisions to make about what kind of image to select to accompany the announcement of bin Laden's death. The choice of which visual would lead the news became a complex, even political decision. Some news outlets chose to run archival photos of bin Laden; others used iconic images of al Qaeda's attack on the World Trade Center towers on 9/11. In essence, through their choices, news outlets decided how to visually “frame” the death of Osama bin Laden, the world's most wanted man.
Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s travels from one country to another between 1989 and 1996. It begins by describing bin Laden’s stay in Saudi Arabia and his support for the movement called ...
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This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s travels from one country to another between 1989 and 1996. It begins by describing bin Laden’s stay in Saudi Arabia and his support for the movement called Islamic Awakening (Sahwa), as well as his decision to leave the Kingdom because of his feeling that he was betrayed by the regime and its scholars. It then considers bin Laden’s return to Pakistan, where he worked to mediate the political chaos and violence among the Afghan insurgent groups. It also comments on bin Laden’s animosity toward Britain, the United States, and the United Nations before concluding with a discussion of his life in Sudan where he prepared to use al-Qaeda to intensify the war on America.Less
This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s travels from one country to another between 1989 and 1996. It begins by describing bin Laden’s stay in Saudi Arabia and his support for the movement called Islamic Awakening (Sahwa), as well as his decision to leave the Kingdom because of his feeling that he was betrayed by the regime and its scholars. It then considers bin Laden’s return to Pakistan, where he worked to mediate the political chaos and violence among the Afghan insurgent groups. It also comments on bin Laden’s animosity toward Britain, the United States, and the United Nations before concluding with a discussion of his life in Sudan where he prepared to use al-Qaeda to intensify the war on America.
Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s return to Afghanistan, from which he prepared his al-Qaeda fighters in the war against the United States between 1996 and 2001. It considers the support ...
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This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s return to Afghanistan, from which he prepared his al-Qaeda fighters in the war against the United States between 1996 and 2001. It considers the support received by bin Laden from the Taleban and vice versa, the assassination attempts on bin Laden, and his official declaration of war on the United States that was followed by a fatwa ordering and authorizing “jihad against the Crusaders and Jews.” It also looks at al-Qaeda’s bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and of the USS Cole in Yemen two years later, along with the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The chapter concludes by discussing bin Laden’s media campaign in South Asia based on the American model of “shaping the battle space”, the deterioration of his reverence for Islamic scholars, and his strengthened ties to Taleban leader Mullah Omar.Less
This chapter focuses on Osama bin Laden’s return to Afghanistan, from which he prepared his al-Qaeda fighters in the war against the United States between 1996 and 2001. It considers the support received by bin Laden from the Taleban and vice versa, the assassination attempts on bin Laden, and his official declaration of war on the United States that was followed by a fatwa ordering and authorizing “jihad against the Crusaders and Jews.” It also looks at al-Qaeda’s bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and of the USS Cole in Yemen two years later, along with the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The chapter concludes by discussing bin Laden’s media campaign in South Asia based on the American model of “shaping the battle space”, the deterioration of his reverence for Islamic scholars, and his strengthened ties to Taleban leader Mullah Omar.
Noha Mellor
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252038860
- eISBN:
- 9780252096822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252038860.003.0006
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Media Studies
This chapter focuses on media coverage of bin Laden and how it depicted his relationship with his wives, particularly the sixth one, Amal Assadah, who was rumored to have shielded bin Laden when the ...
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This chapter focuses on media coverage of bin Laden and how it depicted his relationship with his wives, particularly the sixth one, Amal Assadah, who was rumored to have shielded bin Laden when the American commandos shot him. It argues that the main difference between the coverage in Arab media versus Anglo-American news media is that the former focused on the issues surrounding bin Laden and his family, foregrounding the wives' support of bin Laden as part of their duty as virtuous Muslim women. Anglo-American media, however, chose to focus on the image of bin Laden as a sexual being, thereby contributing to the myth of bin Laden as a neurotic evil. Both regions focused on these wives as mainly emotionally or religiously motivated to follow bin Laden rather than on their political and ideological motivations. The chapter begins with a brief discussion about the role of myth in the news-making process, focusing on the myths surrounding bin Laden's sexuality. It then presents examples of pan-Arab and Anglo-American coverage.Less
This chapter focuses on media coverage of bin Laden and how it depicted his relationship with his wives, particularly the sixth one, Amal Assadah, who was rumored to have shielded bin Laden when the American commandos shot him. It argues that the main difference between the coverage in Arab media versus Anglo-American news media is that the former focused on the issues surrounding bin Laden and his family, foregrounding the wives' support of bin Laden as part of their duty as virtuous Muslim women. Anglo-American media, however, chose to focus on the image of bin Laden as a sexual being, thereby contributing to the myth of bin Laden as a neurotic evil. Both regions focused on these wives as mainly emotionally or religiously motivated to follow bin Laden rather than on their political and ideological motivations. The chapter begins with a brief discussion about the role of myth in the news-making process, focusing on the myths surrounding bin Laden's sexuality. It then presents examples of pan-Arab and Anglo-American coverage.
Alia Brahimi
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199562961
- eISBN:
- 9780191595059
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199562961.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory, International Relations and Politics
In the 1990s, Osama bin Laden observed proudly that the Afghan jihad against the Russians was unstained by the blood of innocents. Yet, since 1993, civilians have been al‐Qaeda's chosen targets. This ...
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In the 1990s, Osama bin Laden observed proudly that the Afghan jihad against the Russians was unstained by the blood of innocents. Yet, since 1993, civilians have been al‐Qaeda's chosen targets. This chapter explores issues raised by al‐Qaeda's conduct during its war against the United States in the light of Islamic ideas about jus in bello. The first section of this chapter briefly introduces the jus in bello tradition in Islam. The second section discusses the legitimacy of suicide attacks and the place of martyrdom in the Islamic tradition. The final section examines bin Laden's attempts to overturn the robust Islamic protections for civilians in war. Bin Laden himself subscribes to the principle of non‐combatant immunity and employs it in levelling virulent criticism against the US's policies—yet his acceptance of the principle leads him into an unclear and uncomfortable moral position with regard to al‐Qaeda's attacks.Less
In the 1990s, Osama bin Laden observed proudly that the Afghan jihad against the Russians was unstained by the blood of innocents. Yet, since 1993, civilians have been al‐Qaeda's chosen targets. This chapter explores issues raised by al‐Qaeda's conduct during its war against the United States in the light of Islamic ideas about jus in bello. The first section of this chapter briefly introduces the jus in bello tradition in Islam. The second section discusses the legitimacy of suicide attacks and the place of martyrdom in the Islamic tradition. The final section examines bin Laden's attempts to overturn the robust Islamic protections for civilians in war. Bin Laden himself subscribes to the principle of non‐combatant immunity and employs it in levelling virulent criticism against the US's policies—yet his acceptance of the principle leads him into an unclear and uncomfortable moral position with regard to al‐Qaeda's attacks.
John O. Voll
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195323405
- eISBN:
- 9780199869237
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195323405.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Sikhism
In a globalizing world, members of the same religious community, anchored in different parts of the world, have greater capacity to increase their cultural, social, and economic links with one ...
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In a globalizing world, members of the same religious community, anchored in different parts of the world, have greater capacity to increase their cultural, social, and economic links with one another. Ironically, this chapter points out how the rise of religious pluralism amid globalization has also strengthened the hand of Muslim leaders such as Osama Bin Laden, intent on destroying pluralism altogether. Al-Qaeda preaches peace but glorifies violence. Bin Laden’s view that violent jihad is an obligation on individual believers isolates him from leading Muslim scholars and jurists. Still, he has been able to gather and hold a sizable following, through dramatic actions, but also through the very same communications technologies that drive religious pluralism and create soft power in world affairs.Less
In a globalizing world, members of the same religious community, anchored in different parts of the world, have greater capacity to increase their cultural, social, and economic links with one another. Ironically, this chapter points out how the rise of religious pluralism amid globalization has also strengthened the hand of Muslim leaders such as Osama Bin Laden, intent on destroying pluralism altogether. Al-Qaeda preaches peace but glorifies violence. Bin Laden’s view that violent jihad is an obligation on individual believers isolates him from leading Muslim scholars and jurists. Still, he has been able to gather and hold a sizable following, through dramatic actions, but also through the very same communications technologies that drive religious pluralism and create soft power in world affairs.
Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter examines five narratives, each offering a portrait of Osama bin Laden. The first is the “old hands” narrative, attributed to traditional terrorism analysts who consider bin Laden and his ...
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This chapter examines five narratives, each offering a portrait of Osama bin Laden. The first is the “old hands” narrative, attributed to traditional terrorism analysts who consider bin Laden and his allies as just new iterations of the same old terrorism. The second is the “former comrades” narrative, ascribed to former mujahedin who have fallen out with bin Laden, including Boudejema Bounoua, Hashim al-Makki, and Abu Musab al-Suri. The third is the Riyadh narrative, the origin of which can be traced to Saudi Arabia’s spokesmen. The fourth narrative, the imperialist narrative, comes from pro-Israeli writers and their colleagues in the United States. Finally, the “bin Laden experts” narratives are offered by Western experts who do not rely on the primary sources about the al-Qaeda chief.Less
This chapter examines five narratives, each offering a portrait of Osama bin Laden. The first is the “old hands” narrative, attributed to traditional terrorism analysts who consider bin Laden and his allies as just new iterations of the same old terrorism. The second is the “former comrades” narrative, ascribed to former mujahedin who have fallen out with bin Laden, including Boudejema Bounoua, Hashim al-Makki, and Abu Musab al-Suri. The third is the Riyadh narrative, the origin of which can be traced to Saudi Arabia’s spokesmen. The fourth narrative, the imperialist narrative, comes from pro-Israeli writers and their colleagues in the United States. Finally, the “bin Laden experts” narratives are offered by Western experts who do not rely on the primary sources about the al-Qaeda chief.
Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
9/11 almost instantaneously remade American politics and foreign policy. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Patriot Act, water boarding, and Guantanamo are examples of its profound and ...
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9/11 almost instantaneously remade American politics and foreign policy. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Patriot Act, water boarding, and Guantanamo are examples of its profound and far-reaching effects. Most biographies of Osama bin Laden depict him as an historical figure, the mastermind behind 9/11, but no longer relevant to the world it created. These accounts, it is argued here, have contributed to a widespread and dangerous denial of his continuing significance and power as al-Qaeda chief. This book provides a corrective portrait of bin Laden, showing him to be a figure of remarkable leadership skills, strategic genius, and considerable rhetorical abilities. Written by first head of the Central Intelligence Agency’s bin Laden Unit, the book draws from a wealth of information about bin Laden and his evolution from peaceful Saudi dissident to America’s Most Wanted. Shedding light on his development as a theologian, media manipulator, and paramilitary commander, the book makes use of all the speeches and interviews bin Laden has given as well as lengthy interviews, testimony, and previously untranslated documents written by those who grew up with bin Laden in Saudi Arabia, served as his bodyguards and drivers, and fought alongside him against the Soviet Union.Less
9/11 almost instantaneously remade American politics and foreign policy. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Patriot Act, water boarding, and Guantanamo are examples of its profound and far-reaching effects. Most biographies of Osama bin Laden depict him as an historical figure, the mastermind behind 9/11, but no longer relevant to the world it created. These accounts, it is argued here, have contributed to a widespread and dangerous denial of his continuing significance and power as al-Qaeda chief. This book provides a corrective portrait of bin Laden, showing him to be a figure of remarkable leadership skills, strategic genius, and considerable rhetorical abilities. Written by first head of the Central Intelligence Agency’s bin Laden Unit, the book draws from a wealth of information about bin Laden and his evolution from peaceful Saudi dissident to America’s Most Wanted. Shedding light on his development as a theologian, media manipulator, and paramilitary commander, the book makes use of all the speeches and interviews bin Laden has given as well as lengthy interviews, testimony, and previously untranslated documents written by those who grew up with bin Laden in Saudi Arabia, served as his bodyguards and drivers, and fought alongside him against the Soviet Union.
Susan Jeffords and Fahed Al-Sumait
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252038860
- eISBN:
- 9780252096822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252038860.003.0012
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Media Studies
This chapter considers the question of why Osama bin Laden's death did not seem to have the impact that was expected from the largest and most expensive manhunt in history. It looks at the debate ...
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This chapter considers the question of why Osama bin Laden's death did not seem to have the impact that was expected from the largest and most expensive manhunt in history. It looks at the debate about Zero Dark Thirty (2012), the film that chronicled the hunt and killing of bin Laden. The film's perspective is unmistakably American and Western, with assumptions that audiences would already know the back-story about who bin Laden is, why the U.S. government invested so much in finding him, and why his death should be an event for celebration. What is remarkable about the debates, the reviews, and the discussions about Zero Dark Thirty, however, is that they mimic cultural discourses that arose in the decade since 9/11 in an elusive dance with Osama bin Laden.Less
This chapter considers the question of why Osama bin Laden's death did not seem to have the impact that was expected from the largest and most expensive manhunt in history. It looks at the debate about Zero Dark Thirty (2012), the film that chronicled the hunt and killing of bin Laden. The film's perspective is unmistakably American and Western, with assumptions that audiences would already know the back-story about who bin Laden is, why the U.S. government invested so much in finding him, and why his death should be an event for celebration. What is remarkable about the debates, the reviews, and the discussions about Zero Dark Thirty, however, is that they mimic cultural discourses that arose in the decade since 9/11 in an elusive dance with Osama bin Laden.
Alia Brahimi
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780197265901
- eISBN:
- 9780191772047
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265901.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
The declaration of a Caliphate in June 2014 by an al-Qaida offshoot implied a strong sense of political–religious unity, but, in reality, the announcement reflected deep division at the heart of ...
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The declaration of a Caliphate in June 2014 by an al-Qaida offshoot implied a strong sense of political–religious unity, but, in reality, the announcement reflected deep division at the heart of radical Islam. This article critically assesses al-Qaida’s progress on its four main objectives over the course of the 9/11 decade, and suggests that its principal setbacks were due to the fragmentation of Islamic authority. In particular, Osama bin Laden’s inability to reverse the misguided focus, by some affiliated groups, on the ‘nearer enemy’, began to portend al-Qaida’s downfall. However, after the Arab Spring, in the chokeholds of strong states and the chaos of weak states al-Qaida found advantage. Furthermore, with the rise of groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a new pattern of radicalism emerged, in which the threat to ‘far enemy’, ‘near enemy’ and ‘nearer enemy’ were combined.Less
The declaration of a Caliphate in June 2014 by an al-Qaida offshoot implied a strong sense of political–religious unity, but, in reality, the announcement reflected deep division at the heart of radical Islam. This article critically assesses al-Qaida’s progress on its four main objectives over the course of the 9/11 decade, and suggests that its principal setbacks were due to the fragmentation of Islamic authority. In particular, Osama bin Laden’s inability to reverse the misguided focus, by some affiliated groups, on the ‘nearer enemy’, began to portend al-Qaida’s downfall. However, after the Arab Spring, in the chokeholds of strong states and the chaos of weak states al-Qaida found advantage. Furthermore, with the rise of groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a new pattern of radicalism emerged, in which the threat to ‘far enemy’, ‘near enemy’ and ‘nearer enemy’ were combined.
Andrew Hill
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252038860
- eISBN:
- 9780252096822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252038860.003.0003
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Media Studies
This chapter looks back to the time before Osama bin Laden's death and then reflects on the period after his death. In particular, it examines bin Laden's video and audio appearances after the ...
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This chapter looks back to the time before Osama bin Laden's death and then reflects on the period after his death. In particular, it examines bin Laden's video and audio appearances after the September 11 attacks in order to scrutinize both the means by which these appearances have allowed bin Laden to continue to intervene in the War on Terror, and the terms in which they have shaped perceptions in the West of the nature of the enemy faced in this conflict. Although bin Laden functioned “as a metonym for al Qaeda and the enemy more broadly in the War on Terror,” his death did not eliminate the threats posed by al Qaeda. Indeed, the West can be said to have “exorcised” Osama bin Laden by shifting the narrative from that of hunting for the world's leading terrorist to that of “Obama got Osama.”Less
This chapter looks back to the time before Osama bin Laden's death and then reflects on the period after his death. In particular, it examines bin Laden's video and audio appearances after the September 11 attacks in order to scrutinize both the means by which these appearances have allowed bin Laden to continue to intervene in the War on Terror, and the terms in which they have shaped perceptions in the West of the nature of the enemy faced in this conflict. Although bin Laden functioned “as a metonym for al Qaeda and the enemy more broadly in the War on Terror,” his death did not eliminate the threats posed by al Qaeda. Indeed, the West can be said to have “exorcised” Osama bin Laden by shifting the narrative from that of hunting for the world's leading terrorist to that of “Obama got Osama.”
Purnima Bose
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252038860
- eISBN:
- 9780252096822
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252038860.003.0008
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Media Studies
Tere Bin Laden (2010), an Indian independent film in Hindi, written and directed by Abhishek Sharma, is a madcap comedy about an ambitious Pakistani journalist, Ali Hassan, who stages a fake video of ...
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Tere Bin Laden (2010), an Indian independent film in Hindi, written and directed by Abhishek Sharma, is a madcap comedy about an ambitious Pakistani journalist, Ali Hassan, who stages a fake video of Osama bin Laden as his golden ticket to immigrate to the United States. The film provides a trenchant critique of global media, the War on Terror, and the capitalist aspirations of lower-middle and middle-class Pakistanis. This chapter focuses on how Tere Bin Laden articulates a critique of the War on Terror. It first considers how the opening segments of the film set up its dual concerns with the nature of the U.S. national security state as a racial formation and with an idealized version of the American dream that constitutes the desire for upward mobility in the imagination of elite Pakistanis such as Ali. It then turns to the film's representation of the War on Terror and U.S. foreign policy to analyze how it draws on the speeches of the actual Osama bin Laden and spoofs the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan by literally rendering it into a cartoon. Evaluating the filmmaker's and lead actor's claims that the film provides a generalized South Asian perspective on the War on Terror, the chapter explores Tere Bin Laden's representation of Pakistani civil society as constituted by a range of classes and aspirations that can be persuaded to cooperate with one another only in limited ways and as existing in an uneasy equilibrium with the state.Less
Tere Bin Laden (2010), an Indian independent film in Hindi, written and directed by Abhishek Sharma, is a madcap comedy about an ambitious Pakistani journalist, Ali Hassan, who stages a fake video of Osama bin Laden as his golden ticket to immigrate to the United States. The film provides a trenchant critique of global media, the War on Terror, and the capitalist aspirations of lower-middle and middle-class Pakistanis. This chapter focuses on how Tere Bin Laden articulates a critique of the War on Terror. It first considers how the opening segments of the film set up its dual concerns with the nature of the U.S. national security state as a racial formation and with an idealized version of the American dream that constitutes the desire for upward mobility in the imagination of elite Pakistanis such as Ali. It then turns to the film's representation of the War on Terror and U.S. foreign policy to analyze how it draws on the speeches of the actual Osama bin Laden and spoofs the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan by literally rendering it into a cartoon. Evaluating the filmmaker's and lead actor's claims that the film provides a generalized South Asian perspective on the War on Terror, the chapter explores Tere Bin Laden's representation of Pakistani civil society as constituted by a range of classes and aspirations that can be persuaded to cooperate with one another only in limited ways and as existing in an uneasy equilibrium with the state.
Kevin H. Govern
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199646470
- eISBN:
- 9780191738975
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199646470.003.0014
- Subject:
- Law, Public International Law, Philosophy of Law
This chapter takes the killing of Osama bin Laden as a test case for considering the moral and legal status of intentionally killing individuals deemed a threat to national security, under conditions ...
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This chapter takes the killing of Osama bin Laden as a test case for considering the moral and legal status of intentionally killing individuals deemed a threat to national security, under conditions in which the object of the targeted attack is offered little or no opportunity to surrender to attacking forces. The target in such operations, in short, is treated as though he were a belligerent: a person placed on a kill list may be targeted in a way that would be legitimate if he were an enemy combatant. It is argued that bin Laden was a legitimate military target, and that the decision-makers involved in his killing had thoroughly considered the range of options available to stop bin Laden from further terroristic acts, and were warranted in the decision to lean towards targeted killing in lieu of a capture operation. Thus, those who carried out the killing were within their scope of authority and responsibility for killing rather than for capturing bin Laden.Less
This chapter takes the killing of Osama bin Laden as a test case for considering the moral and legal status of intentionally killing individuals deemed a threat to national security, under conditions in which the object of the targeted attack is offered little or no opportunity to surrender to attacking forces. The target in such operations, in short, is treated as though he were a belligerent: a person placed on a kill list may be targeted in a way that would be legitimate if he were an enemy combatant. It is argued that bin Laden was a legitimate military target, and that the decision-makers involved in his killing had thoroughly considered the range of options available to stop bin Laden from further terroristic acts, and were warranted in the decision to lean towards targeted killing in lieu of a capture operation. Thus, those who carried out the killing were within their scope of authority and responsibility for killing rather than for capturing bin Laden.
Thomas F. Farr
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195179958
- eISBN:
- 9780199869749
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179958.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Chapter 8 is woven around the author's trip to Saudi Arabia six months prior to 9/11. There are two faces of Saudi Arabia: Mecca, the birthplace of Islam and the prophet Mohammed, and Riyadh in the ...
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Chapter 8 is woven around the author's trip to Saudi Arabia six months prior to 9/11. There are two faces of Saudi Arabia: Mecca, the birthplace of Islam and the prophet Mohammed, and Riyadh in the Nadj region, the home of Mohammed bin Abd al-Wahhab and the birthplace of Osama Bin Laden. The chapter explores the tensions between the two kingdoms, and the connections between Islam and Islamist extremism, especially as manifested in Saudi understandings of jihad and tawhid. It traces the pernicious Wahhabi public theology from its origins in the 13th century to its ideological covenant with the House of Saud. The author's experiences with Saudi officials, religious minorities in the kingdom, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the State Department lead him to conclude that Wahhabism will remain a source of terrorism, and a threat to U.S. national security, until the Saudis contain or destroy it via political reform grounded in religious freedom.Less
Chapter 8 is woven around the author's trip to Saudi Arabia six months prior to 9/11. There are two faces of Saudi Arabia: Mecca, the birthplace of Islam and the prophet Mohammed, and Riyadh in the Nadj region, the home of Mohammed bin Abd al-Wahhab and the birthplace of Osama Bin Laden. The chapter explores the tensions between the two kingdoms, and the connections between Islam and Islamist extremism, especially as manifested in Saudi understandings of jihad and tawhid. It traces the pernicious Wahhabi public theology from its origins in the 13th century to its ideological covenant with the House of Saud. The author's experiences with Saudi officials, religious minorities in the kingdom, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the State Department lead him to conclude that Wahhabism will remain a source of terrorism, and a threat to U.S. national security, until the Saudis contain or destroy it via political reform grounded in religious freedom.
Michael Scheuer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199738663
- eISBN:
- 9780190252465
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199738663.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter focuses on the so-called “bin Laden era,” when Osama bin Laden is in the prime of his life. It considers some of the misconceptions about bin Laden as well as his, and al-Qaeda’s, ...
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This chapter focuses on the so-called “bin Laden era,” when Osama bin Laden is in the prime of his life. It considers some of the misconceptions about bin Laden as well as his, and al-Qaeda’s, continued war with the United States. It also examines bin Laden’s impact on how Americans view their society, government, and security; the U.S. government’s failure to understand bin Laden and the way he motivates more and more Muslims to wage jihad on America; and several working assumptions on which Western authorities have based their estimate of the al-Qaeda leader. The chapter concludes by discussing bin Laden’s rhetoric and actions to address the current grievances of Muslims against the West.Less
This chapter focuses on the so-called “bin Laden era,” when Osama bin Laden is in the prime of his life. It considers some of the misconceptions about bin Laden as well as his, and al-Qaeda’s, continued war with the United States. It also examines bin Laden’s impact on how Americans view their society, government, and security; the U.S. government’s failure to understand bin Laden and the way he motivates more and more Muslims to wage jihad on America; and several working assumptions on which Western authorities have based their estimate of the al-Qaeda leader. The chapter concludes by discussing bin Laden’s rhetoric and actions to address the current grievances of Muslims against the West.
