...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...
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...Terrorism Many people around the world have been traumatized by the effects of terrorism. Terrorism can cause many different emotions and cause people to do many things. Some people go to church and pray with friends and family. Others want to be alone because they have lost loved ones. Many people just sit in disbelief when they see a terrorist attack, whether it be on tv or right next to them. Explaining what he thinks about the reaction in the United States against terrorism, Anup Shah said, “It was with disbelief and shock that people around the world saw footage of the terrorist attack in the U.S...”(Shah). Terrorism is horrific and must be stopped for the safety of our loved ones. Terrorism is also a worldwide problem, everywhere people's safety is being taken and destroyed by these horrendous events. Terrorism has caused global fear around the world and has taken the peace from people’s lives. Three events that have taken the peace from people’s lives are the attack of 9-11, Osama Bin Laden, and Al Qaeda and in understanding these events, hopefully they can be prevented. First, the tragedy that happened on September 11th, 2001 was possibly one of the worst incidents of this time for the United States. Many people lost their lives and safety that day. Four separate planes were hijacked that day by terrorists and their intent was to hit the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the White House. Luckily...
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...Death of Osama bin Laden and its effects to al-Qaeda Name: Institutional Affiliation: Date: Death of Osama bin Laden and its effects to Al-Qaida It has been four years down the line since the death of the Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. In history, Osama has been the potential leader in organizing terrorist activities that have left thousands dead and several injured. His charismatic leadership led to large number of recruitments of the youth men all over the world. Osama was assassination done by the US Navy seals in a night raid on a high-walled compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan (Owen, M., & Maurer, 2012). His assassination had a great impact on the running of the al-Qaida organization. Osama bin Laden had significantly achieved high recognition as the symbol of international terrorist. Consequently, Osama declared war on the US and allies affiliated to US. His mission was followed by organized and fruitful attacks by al-Qaeda militants’ in various countries. Back in the 1990s, he organized a successful attack on the USS Cole, US embassy in Kenya and Tanzania respectively. There were also attacks in Bali, Madrid, and London. Indeed, the death of Osama is a big blow to the al-Qaeda terrorist operation that has been depending on his strategic attacks. It is unfortunate to the organization since they have so far no one with such charismatic leadership to replace him (Bergen, P, 2013).. Osama’s death has significantly reduced the al-Qaeda into a confused...
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...Al Qaeda a terrorist group was founded by Osama bin Laden and Mohamad Ataf in 1989. The main objective was to drive the United States of America out of Muslim African countries, Saudi Arabia and the entire Arab Peninsula. The death of Osama bin Laden was a major blow to the group. Prior to his death the group was more coherent and structure with central leadership and smaller units with delegated missions. Even with the demise of its head the terrorist group continues to make world news headlines. Al Qaeda disintegrated into several groups that all embrace the groups initial ideologies and methodologies. The though the group has declined, its influence has soared. These splinter groups all have a connection and have a central agenda. They argue though open source data on the groups' innovation practices are necessarily more sparse, we contrast the doctrinal texts with selected examples, which suggest caution in assuming that group doctrine is necessarily put into practice "as written" (Jackson & Loidolt 2013, p. 233) Byman reviews that with Bin Laden's death, these affiliates retain their operational capacity. They continue to try to undermine U.S. allies and some, such as AQAP, will attempt to strike U.S. targets beyond the region in which they operate. His success has made them all far more lethal, but keeping the ties strong depended heavily on Bin Laden's charisma and his access to funds. Zawahiri is less charismatic than Bin Laden. The group influences like minded...
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...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 motivations, (beliefs or causes), and/or the justifications for engaging in terrorism, 3.) Al Qaeda's major source of both financial and non-financial support, 4.) The evaluation of the importance of Al Qaeda's use of the media, the image being portrayed, and the preferred method of communication for the group, 5.) The determination whether or not the group has a legitimate complaint or...
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...Pentagon were an attack on the heart of America.” The immediate effects from 9/11 like death and destruction are very disturbing, and that leaves Americans wondering why someone would kill thousands of innocent civilians. The causes of 9/11 have been a topic of debate for many years, and many of the effects are quite evident in our society. The September 11th attacks performed by the Al-Qaeda were caused by certain motives that root from conflicts with the United States and the effects run deeper death and destruction and are displayed through changes in American law and culture. First, a leading cause towards the 9/11 attacks is the United States’ foreign policy which favors Israel over Palestine in the Israel-Palestine Conflict. Israel and Palestine have been been conflicting since the mid 20th century due to issues that involve the control of the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem. Primarily, the issue involves the Israeli Jews and the Palestinian Muslims Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the Al Qaeda was anti-Semitic (a hatred of Jews), took favor of the Palestinians. United States military supporting Israel, which led to deaths of many Palestinians, obviously upset bin Laden and fueled his hate towards Americans even more. Bin Laden stated in his Letter to America: “Why are we fighting and opposing you? The answer is very simple: (1) Because you attacked us and continue to attack us. a) You attacked us in Palestine.” Bin Laden goes on to explain his hate for Israel, “The creation of...
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...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...
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...EH 101-2BE 24 September 2015 A Battle Won in the War on Terror President Obama gave a speech confirming the death of Osama bin Laden. His ten minute speech was something that the American people needed to hear. After ten long years, some justice had finally been served, and president Obama was able to inform America of this great success. The president is attempting to inform the country of the events leading up to Bin Laden’s death. All of the conflict with Osama bin Laden began on a date most people will never forget. On September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda, bin Laden’s terrorist group, launched an attack on American soil. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and another into a field in southern Pennsylvania. As a result of this terrorist attack on the United States, 2,996 people were murdered and more than 6,000 people were injured. This was a proclamation of war by al-Qaeda. Because of this horrible tragedy, Osama bin Laden became the number one wanted man and was hated by all Americans. For the ten years that followed the attacks, people were permanently scarred and emotionally rocked. Everyone wanted bin Laden dead. And therefore, Obama’s speech on May 1 was some of the best news that the United States had received. Through his speech the President is trying to inform the nation that now is a time to rejoice ,but the war on terror is far from over. President Obama achieves this through invoking powerful emotions connected to past events. Throughout...
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...Al-Qaeda From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search al-Qaeda القاعدة Participant in the Persian Gulf War, the Global War on Terrorism, the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and the Syrian Civil War Active 1988-present Ideology Sunni Islamism[1][2] Islamic fundamentalism[3] Takfirism[4] Pan-Islamism Worldwide 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...
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...Introduction: Afghanistan has a history of a high degree of decentralization, and resistance to foreign invasion and occupation. Some have termed it the “graveyard of empires.” Afghanistan is a landlocked country that is located approximately in the center of Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east. Since the late 1970s Afghanistan has suffered brutal civil war in addition to foreign interventions in the form of the 1979 Soviet invasion and the 2001 U.S. invasion. The strategic interests of the great powers of the day in Afghanistan pitched against the potential threat of terrorism, religious extremism, smuggling and drug trafficking substantiates the assertion that Afghan security situation has the potential to generate effects far beyond its borders. Afghanistan had experienced several coups since 1973, when the Afghan monarchy was overthrown by Daud Khan, who was sympathetic to Soviet overtures. Subsequent coups reflected struggles within Afghanistan among factions with different ideas about how Afghanistan should be governed and whether it should be communist, and with degrees warmth toward the Soviet Union. The Soviets intervened following the overthrow of a pro-communist leader. In late December 1979, after several months of evident military preparation, they invaded Afganistan. At that time, the Soviet Union and the United States were engaged in the Cold War, a global competition for the fealty of other nations. The United States was, thus, deeply interested...
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...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...
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...another attack on U.S. soil. There has been so much talk on the events of 9/11 from it being another country to it being the work of the government to hide information to wanting to start a war. Which it did, American forces invaded Afghanistan to search for Osama Bin Laden. The thought that someone could hijack commercial airliners (Boeing 767s) and use them to attack high rises, not only high rises but U.S. landmarks and also the Pentagon which houses the military headquarters in the United States. There were four airliners hijacked that day with three of them hitting their marks and the fourth one crashing in a Pennsylvania field. The attacks are the worst terrorist attacks to ever happen on U.S. soil, resulting in more than 3,000 people were killed due to the attacks on New York and Washington D.C. After the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center on the 80th floor, it trapped hundreds of people above the fiery inferno and they started evacuating the north tower. Within 20 minutes of the first airliner hitting the north tower a second airliner hit the south tower on the 60th floor. According to the news and many articles there were 19 men from Al-Qaeda which is an Islamic terrorist group led by Osama Bin Laden. The men had taken flying lessons in Florida to prepare for the hijacking so they could fly the planes to their targets. The militants had hijacked...
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...Jack Dedert Ms. Schraub English 2B(4) 03 May 2011 9/11 Terrorist Attack “Smoke clears, and a wail: Where did it go? Oh, Lord, where did it go?” says N.R. Kleinfield (qtd. in Raines 30). The date of September 11th, 2001, will go down in American history forever. This terrorist attack shocked not only the United States, but every other nation in the world. On this day there was nearly 2,900 deaths, it will go down as the largest and most effective terrorist attack ever to have occurred. After the attack of 9/11 the United States changed for the better, it brought change in our government and the faith we have in our country. The day September 11th, 2001 will be a day people will not forget for the rest of their lives. On this morning planes were hijacked from Newark, Boston, and Washington. The first event of the terrorist attack was at 8:46 A.M. in Manhattan, New York. At this time a hijacked plane flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center (Greenberg). The top of the north tower was filled with smoke and flames. The people near the World Trade Center were completely surprised and had their attention caught right when the first plane hit. “Hundreds of thousands of people witnessed the attacks firsthand, and millions watched the tragedy unfold live on television.” (qtd. in “September 11 attacks.”). No one knew at first what had happened. Suddenly, seventeen minutes later, a second plane struck the south tower of the World Trade Center (Greenberg). People began...
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...Securitization Theory Author Institution Course title Instructor Date Critically discuss the securitization theory – using the case study of War on terror in Afghanistan (2001-2012) Introduction Security study was in the past regarded as a sub-discipline of international relations underpinned in Anglo-American thinking. Until early 1990s, security studies were considered as a strategic studies focusing on a strong military focus. This traditional view of security involved the protection of the state and a scientific agenda to secure the state from definable threats and maintain the status quo. This is a positivist approach which was based on rationalism and realism. The Copenhagen School presented an alternative view of security studies by responding to the traditional approach of forming a clear sense of ‘what is security’. This approach is defined in three mechanisms: development of sectors approach to security, developing a regional focus on security and critically engendering a social constructivist theory of security through securitization studies. 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...
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...“This Time is Different: Comparing Al-Qaeda’s Unique Place in the History of Terrorism with the Freedom Fighters of the Irish Republican Army” Al Qaeda and the Irish Republican Army are two of the most complex and famous terrorist organizations in modern history. While both groups share some principles with one another, and undoubtedly have committed and continue to commit horrible acts, the world’s perception of each is undoubtedly different from the other. There is an apparent contradiction in Karl Heinzen’s famous quote: “If to kill is always a crime, then it is forbidden equally to all; if it is not a crime, then it is permitted equally to all.”[1] This difference in public perception is a result of several key tenets of each organization’s strategy and structure. The IRA fights to protect and support the liberties of the Irish people, while Al Qaeda relies upon the religious doctrine of a radical Islamic minority to carry out jihad against Western infidels. Al Qaeda, while claiming to represent the entire Muslim world, has never had a real home or a consistent base to draw upon; inversely, a large proportion of the Irish people are steadfast in their support for the cause. Al Qaeda’s indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians has resulted in a falling out with a large percentage of its former supporters. Finally, the IRA had a distinct, tangible, and realistic goal of expelling the British from Ireland, while Al Qaeda seeks to establish a new caliphate based...
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