Description
This seminal work on modern terrorism is the one book all Americans must read in order to truly understand the reasons why radical Muslims like Osama bin Laden and his followers have declared war on America and the West. In order to win the war against terrorism, argues Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA’s bin Laden Unit, we must first stop dismissing militant Muslims as "extremists" or "religious fanatics." Formulating a successful military strategy requires that we see the enemy as they perceive themselves—highly trained and motivated soldiers who believe their cause is righteous. This revised paperback edition assesses the changes and continuities in Osama bin Laden’s thinking since 2002. Scheuer details the overwhelmingly positive benefits that al Qaeda and Sunni militants have derived from the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Specifically, he analyzes how the war has validated bin Laden’s decade-old contentions about U.S. malignancy toward Islam, which has brought more Muslims under al Qaeda’cs banner. Moreover, Scheuer shows that the war has accelerated the transformation of bin Laden and al Qaeda from man and organization to, respectively, a symbol of leadership and heroism and a worldwide movement.
