...OSAMA BIN LADEN – American’s Most WANTED Osama Bin Laden: Early Life Osama bin Laden was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1957 or 1958. He was the 17th of 52 children born to Mohammed bin Laden, a Yemeni immigrant who owned the largest construction company in the Saudi kingdom. Young Osama had a privileged, cosseted upbringing. His siblings were educated in the West and went to work for his father’s company, but Osama bin Laden stayed close to home. He went to school in Jiddah, married young and, like many Saudi men, joined the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. Osama bin Laden is a terrorist extremist who claimed for the attacks on the World Trade Center in Sep 11th 2001 and is intent on driving Western influence from the Muslim world. Osama Bin Laden: The Pan-Islamist Idea For Bin Laden, Islam is more than just a region: it shaped his political beliefs and influenced every decision he made. While he was at college at the late 1970’s, he became a follower of the radical Pan-Islamist scholar Abdullah Azzam, who believed that all Muslims should rise up in jihad, or holy war, to create a single Islamic state. This idea appealed to the young bin Laden, who resented what he saw as a growing Western influence on Middle Eastern life. In 1979, Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan; soon afterward, Azzam and bin Laden traveled to Peshawar, a Pakistani city on the border with Afghanistan, to join the resistance. They did not become fighters themselves, but they used their extensive...
Words: 1190 - Pages: 5
...Osama Bin Laden Biography Osama bin Laden and His fusion of Terrorism Introduction: Osama bin Laden, born in 1957, comes from a wealthy Saudi Arabian family that owns a multinational construction business. He used his inborn wealth to finance Afghan forces fighting the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980's. After the 1991 Gulf War, he was distressed that Saudi Arabia allowed U.S. forces to remain in the Arabian Peninsula. To advance his agenda of expelling the U.S. from the Islamic world, he worked with other anti-Western fundamentalists to organize a secretive, highly compartmentalized terrorist network, known as al-Qaida. It is through his upbringing, education, culture, and wars in Islamic countries, that Osama bin Laden has sought to purge the Islamic world of the influences that he believes have corrupted and degraded it. Osama bin Laden’s family: Osama Bin Laden was the 17th son of 51 children of Muhammad bin Laden. His father was of Yemeni descent, and his mother was from Saudi Arabia. Osama's father was the dominant figure in the family, and Osama may have obtained his strong Islamic heritage from his father. "He had a tough discipline and observed all the children with strict religious and social code. He maintained a special daily program and obliged his children to follow.1 Over and above the strict Islamic teachings that he received from his father; Osama bin Laden also received religious indoctrination...
Words: 1323 - Pages: 6
...Terrorism and Homeland Defense Fundamentals Weekly Assignment 3.2 Part One: 1. Describe the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947. For two years after the end of WWII, the world was in constant flux. New countries and boundaries were being drawn and one of the most contested and controversial was the creation of an Israeli/ Palestinian state. The Learning Network (2011) states the following: On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for Palestine to be partitioned between Arabs and Jews, allowing for the formation of the Jewish state of Israel. Since 1917, Palestine had been under the control of Britain, which supported the creation of a Jewish state in the holy land. Sympathy for the Jewish cause grew during the genocide of European Jews during the Holocaust. In 1946, the Palestine issue was brought before the newly created United Nations, which drafted a partition plan. The plan, which organized Palestine into three Jewish sections, four Arab sections and the internationally-administered city of Jerusalem, had strong support in Western nations as well as the Soviet Union. It was opposed by Arab nations. US Central Intelligence Agency (para. 1-3) 2. Why do you think that Palestinian terrorists concentrate on soft targets? The concentration on soft targets is a result of the need to draw attention of a global audience that is increasingly challenging to traumatize, the growing sophistication of the terrorists...
Words: 2908 - Pages: 12
...Death of Osama bin Laden: Effect on Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda, a terrorist organization, boasts of a globe-spanning conglomerate with franchises far and wide. Unfortunately, the organization was dealt a blow when their founding father, Osama bin Laden, was killed in an operation by U.S. commandos in the military garrison city of Abbottabad, Pakistan. Though the death of Osama was a setback to Al-Qaeda, the group is still classified as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” by the U.S. State Department, “Proscribed Group” by the UK Home Office, and “Terrorist Group” by the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. The killing of the man who was charged with running the organization for many years had an effect on its leadership and image (Lüsted, 2012). Osama Bin Laden had achieved mythic status as a symbol of international terrorism. Indeed, as the leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama declared war on the US and its allies. He organized and coordinated the attack of the USS Cole in the 1990s, US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, 9/11 attacks, and other attacks in Bali, Madrid and London. The killing of Bin Laden, therefore, had symbolic and informational ramifications on the group. The killing of his deputies, Atiyah al-Rahman, whom he relied on to plan and execute the terrorist acts, dealt a further blow. The organization continues to suffer from the loss of their top leaders. The organization has not succeeded to find a suitable replacement with enough charisma such as Osama Bin Laden...
Words: 807 - Pages: 4
...According to John F. Burns writings in the New York Times, those who knew Muhammed Bin Laden claimed that his character is replicated in Osama, as the son shares “his [Muhammed’s] shrewdness and singularity of purpose, his deeply conservative religious and political views, [and] his profound distaste for non-Islamic influences…” (Scheuer, page 88). His mother was from Syria and it is said that bin Laden deeply cared for...
Words: 1033 - Pages: 5
...that led to the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. He felt that the people responsible for the death of thousands of innocent Americans should be brought to justice, however, this was made difficult by the lack of co-operation by the Afghanistan government. The Taliban, who ran the majority of the country, thought the accused (Osama bin Laden) was innocent and would not hand him over to the American authorities without sufficient evidence. Bush decided it was necessary to bring this man to America so he may be punished for his crimes, so he placed orders for American troops to enter Afghanistan in pursuit of Osama bin Laden. The Taliban had little or no experience in running a government and it seemed as though they didn’t see this as a priority when they took power in 1996. They demonstrated extreme single-mindedness as they focused on the achievement of law and order under their interpretation of the Sharia law. Their only aim was to create the world’s purest Islamic state; we could see this through the way the Afghan people were treated, the strict laws imposed on women and the way “corrupting influences” (television, music and films) were banned. While the Taliban was governing Afghanistan, many laws were created that controlled all aspects of women’s public and private lives and severely restricted their freedom. Their access to education, healthcare and employment were among some of the many basic necessities that were made difficult to obtain...
Words: 2419 - Pages: 10
...been under attack several years prior to that memorable day. Does anyone remember the “powerful terrorist car bomb exploded outside US embassy in Kenya, killing at least 81 people – including eight Americans – and injuring more than 1600.” (William Claiborne. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Aug 8, 1998. pg. A.01) American lives were lost on this day, also. Not only were there Americans among this death toll, but it was “confirmed that Osama bin Laden planned, financed and executed the attack.” (Jack Kelley. USA TODAY. McLean, Va.: Aug 21, 1998. pg. 04.A) As we live in the comfort of our homes, and go about our lives; our country has been under assault from this mastermind dating back to 1995. This event has familiar aspects to the mayhem that occurred on September 11th. There was a simultaneous bombing at the US Embassy in Tanzania on August 8th. These events mirror very closely, and at the hands of the same man. It was as if he was practicing for the cou de gras, the bombing of our Twin Towers and the Pentagon. “Osama left his family business at the age of 21 to support Afghanistan against the invasion of the Soviet Union. He was trained by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in support of this fight. At that time of his life he shared the...
Words: 1850 - Pages: 8
...War in Afghanistan Definition of conflict A conflict may be defined as the state of discord that is caused by perceived or actual opposition of values, needs or interests. It is a broad term that encompasses revolutions, invasions, wars or other struggles (for territory, resources or power) and essentially involves the use of force for the achievement of objective. A conflict arises as a result of mutual incompatibility and subsequent expression of disagreement between the parties in the dispute over an important resource or agenda (Nicholson, 1992). The nature of the conflict is determined by the perspective of the people involved in the conflict. Though these perspectives may or may not be supported by independent evidence. It also depends to a large extend on the behaviour of the parties involved in the dispute that can potentially lead to war. Violence is one such behaviour of the parties. The definition of a war or conflict can easily be extended from specific individuals, to groups (which may be tribal, racial, ethnic or religious) or nation states as such. A conflict may involve two or more than two parties to the dispute. However, the principles of the conflict irrespective of the number of the parties to it remain the same. Causes and conditions of the conflicts The process or structure of conflicts or wars is effectively the same, whether it occurs between groups, individuals or nation states. The root causes of the conflict include among other aspects the...
Words: 5695 - Pages: 23
...In his speech to his followers in Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden “declared war” on the United States, with the belief that they were persecuting Muslims. He states that by discontinuing the use of American goods coupled with Mujahedeen militant operations, they will be able to defeat the Americans. Bin Laden then motivates his audience by listing their previous attacks on the US and the lack of reciprocated action. He continues to rally his followers by comparing the motivation of the radical Islamic youth to that of US soldiers, which he deems inferior. He states that the USA in conjunction with the Saudi regime are responsible for the blood of innocent children and closes by calling all tribes of the Arab Peninsula to fight the US in the name...
Words: 272 - Pages: 2
...Courtney Friedman Term Paper: International Terrorism (Due Week 10) Professor Smith 5/23/14 CRJ 440 Terrorism, it is a well-known term, every person has all heard of it, but yet do we really know what it is. Terrorism is in the eyes of most, a meaningless hate crime, which has no true reason behind it. The terrorism mindset is people who want to create terror among civilization. They are trained to disturb peace, and to break social harmony. Terrorism is also a horrible threat to the modern world and modern society. It has become a problem around the world, not just in the United States. Many innocent people are killed by terrorist and their acts of terrorism. An individual can see terrorism in multiple forms, but not limited to: Bombing, hijacking, cross border terrorist activities and massacres on a massive scale, in addition to many others not listed. Its consequences are very frightening. Though much effort is put into eliminating terrorism, it is impossible to get rid of it until some strict laws are devised. Whenever and wherever society is victim to brutality, injustice, wrongs and intolerance, terrorism cannot be eradicated. There are many terrorist groups out there, of many different origins and sects. The group that will be discussed is Al Qaeda, which is the most well-known out of the groups listed. The questions and statements that will be answered and debated are: 1.) A brief explanation of Al Qaeda and the summarization of its origins, 2.) Al Qaeda's major...
Words: 4749 - Pages: 19
...and to the world at large. Focusing upon Osama bin Laden, how would you compare and contrast his ability to communicate and exert influence upon these various audiences from the years preceding 9/11 until his death? Summary Al Qaeda leaders and affiliates have conducted sophisticated public relations and media campaigns since the mid-1990s. Terrorism analysts believe that these campaigns have been designed to elicit psychological reactions and communicate complex political messages to a global audience as well as to specific subpopulations in the Islamic world, the United States, Europe, and Asia. Some officials and analysts believe that Al Qaeda’s messages contain signals that inform and instruct operatives to prepare for and carry out new attacks. Bin Laden and other leading Al Qaeda figures have referred to their public statements as important primary sources for parties seeking to understand Al Qaeda’s ideology and political demands. Global counterterrorism operations since 2001 appear to have limited Bin Laden’s ability to provide command and control leadership to Al Qaeda operatives and affiliated groups. Other Al Qaeda leaders and affiliates continue to release statements that encourage and provide guidance for terrorist operations. Iraq has become a focal point for jihadist rhetoric, underscoring Al Qaeda leaders’ interest in Iraq and support for the ongoing insurgency. Statements released by Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al Zawahiri since late...
Words: 9653 - Pages: 39
...Caliphate[5][6][7][8][9] Qutbism Wahhabism[10] Salafist Jihadism[11][12] Leaders Abdullah Yusuf Azzam (1988-1989) Osama bin Laden (1989-2011) Ayman al-Zawahiri (2011-present) Area of operations Worldwide (predominantly in the Middle East) Strength In Afghanistan – 50–100[13] In Egypt –Unknown In Iraq – 2,500[14] In the Maghreb – 300–800 In Nigeria –Unknown In Pakistan – 300[15] In Philippines – Unknown In Saudi Arabia – Unknown In Somalia – Unknown In Syria Unknown In Thailand -Unknown In Yemen –500–600[16] Allies Taliban Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan East Turkestan Islamic Movement Al-Shabaab Islamic Courts Union (dis) Jundallah Lashkar-e-Taiba Jaish-e-Mohammed Jemaah Islamiyah Boko Haram Abu Sayyaf Iraqi insurgents Caucasus Emirate FARC[17][18] Syria (alleged)[19][20] Qatar (alleged)[21] Opponents United States of America Israel International Security Assistance Force Syria Iran Afghanistan Pakistan Turkey Yemen Egypt Algeria Colombia Al-Qaeda around the world. Al-Qaeda (/ælˈkaɪdə/ al-KY-də; Arabic: القاعدة al-qāʿidah, Arabic: [ælqɑːʕɪdɐ], translation: "The Base" and alternatively spelled al-Qaida and sometimes al-Qa'ida) is a global militant Islamist and takfiri organization founded by Abdullah Yusuf Azzam and Osama bin Laden in Peshawar, Pakistan,[22] at some point between August 1988[23] and late 1989,[24] with its origins...
Words: 14678 - Pages: 59
...This theory will be the main focus of this discussion. To achieve a critical discussion of what securitization really entails, this paper will use the case study of USA’s war on terrorism in Afghanistan. The approach used by the US government to fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq can be considered as a securitization approach which has led to a resulted in security problems in the two countries rather than solving the issue. Securitization of USA’s war on Afghanistan can be viewed in three perspectives: securitization by the president and the government, securitization by the media and securitization by the society. In this case, the paper will attempt to explain how sectors such as political, social and economic sectors influence or result in securitization. This will be done with a...
Words: 3288 - Pages: 14
...The Use of the Predator Drone in Afghanistan and Pakistan: An Essential Component of the War on Terror [pic] Photo Source: United States Air Force Website. Matthew R. Green CORE/PCON 322 Research Project March 27, 2007 I. Introduction/Thesis The last two decades of the 20th century and the first five years of the 21st century saw an increase in terrorist attacks around the world. Many were connected in some way to the conflicts in the Middle East and directed at the United States, culminating in the attacks of September 11, 2001. Terrorism is unique in that the majority of the acts perpetrated have no direct connection to foreign governments. Rather, terrorism emanates from extremist cells within the populace, with a network of individuals and properties living everyday life alongside the general population. The problem is further complicated because the enemy is hardly ever together as one, instead spread across different countries, and indeed continents. In present day War on Terror, it is necessary to eliminate small cells of extremists living among the general populace, often in a covert manner. Small, low-profile yet highly accurate and effective strikes that do not involve US military personnel are essential to avoid harming innocent civilians. One of the most famous weapons to be developed from these emerging necessities in the 1980’s and 1990’s is the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), more commonly...
Words: 3985 - Pages: 16
...Quranic Concept of War, a virtual textbook for the Pakistani military doctrine. The desecration of an Indian soldier's body by Pakistanis should come as no surprise. Have we forgotten what the Pakistanis did to Captain Saurabh Kalia in Kargil [ Images ] in 1999? Pakistan has a history of desecration of dead Indian soldiers even during the 1965 war. Barbaric behaviour by the Pakistanis is neither new nor a planned strategy, it is their habit! But that still leaves open the question: Why now? It is this that opens up intriguing possibilities. By all accounts relations between India [ Images ] and Pakistan were on the upswing, thanks to the perpetual sway of the 'peace at any (mostly our) cost' lobby's all pervasive presence and influence and the ruling dispensation that had its eyes set firmly on consolidating its vote bank before the 2014 general election. It is quite likely that the Pakistan army [ Images ] at this point in time saw no benefit in escalation of tensions on the Indian border when it is readying to reclaim its 'strategic depth' in Afghanistan post the US withdrawal. First, a few facts about the area of the recent clashes. The Nangi Tekdi area was captured from Pakistan in the 1971 war and has been a thorn for them ever since. Also, this is the area of the LoC that has the maximum number of divided families, unlike the Uri sector or the Kashmir [ Images ] valley. This makes infiltration that much easier. But given all that, the LoC is accurately...
Words: 770 - Pages: 4
