...doubt provided him with lifelong skills that would help him as a SEAL. Although the reader may think Owen had a lifelong call for service, he did not start straight out of high school. Owen attended a small university in California after some convincing from his parents and then into the Navy. Shortly after joining the Navy Owen achieved his opportunity to do his dream job as a SEAL. In 1998 Owen completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL or BUD/S claiming his trident as a Navy SEAL. After half a dozen combat deployments Owen was selected to become apart of the Navy’s counter-terrorism unit know as DEVGRU,...
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...On October 4, 2001, British Prime Minister Tony Blair released information compiled by Western intelligence agencies connecting Osama bin Laden to the Afghanistan's Taliban leadership as well as being the leader of the al-Qaeda organization. Ultimately, al-Qaeda became infamous for planning and carrying out the attacks on the World Trade Center towers on September 11th, 2001, killing over 2000 people. The Taliban government gave safe haven to Osama bin Laden in the years leading up to the attack, and bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network may have had a close relationship with the Taliban army and police. So, an American-supported group not only turned away from American ideals, but sought to commit jihad (or “holy war”) against their original...
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...We have been focusing upon how those in terrorist leadership positions communicate their agenda to those within their organizations, their affiliates, 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...
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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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...Current War in Afghanistan Portfolio Causes: In 2001 Afghanistan was controlled by the Taliban. Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan had become home to various terrorist organizations/groups who trained and planned operations from the country. One of those organizations was called Al-Qaeda and were an extremist Islamic terror group lead by Osama Bin Laden. During the 90's they had carried out various attacks against US targets including bombing embassies and warships. Although, their previous activities were nothing compared to the amount of damage and huge loss of life suffered during 9/11. This left The world in disbelief and the population of the United states wanting justice. The various intelligence agencies were then able to workout that the attacks had been planned and organized from Afghanistan. This lead to George Bush declaring a war on terror and identified Afghanistan as their primary target. United States Involvement: The war in Afghanistan started in October 2001 when American and British forces invaded the country with the aim of arresting the Al-Qaeda leadership, including Bin-laden, removing the Taliban government from power who had harbored the terrorists and refused to co-operate. The operation was partly successful as Al-Qaeda's training camps were destroyed and several key leaders were killed although the main leader, Bin-Laden managed to escape. The Taliban government was then removed from power relatively quickly. The problem came with the fact that the Taliban...
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...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...
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...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 in whether the Soviet Union would succeed in establishing a communist government loyal to Moscow in Afghanistan. In order to forestall that possibility, the United States began funding insurgent forces to oppose the Soviets. The U.S.-funded Afghan insurgents were called mujahideen...
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...of the media. It will also discuss the ways charisma is used in business, both ethically and unethically, as well as provide examples of times when charisma is appropriate. Introduction “Charisma is a fire, a fire that ignites followers’ energy and commitment, producing results above and beyond the call of duty.” (Klein & House, 1995, p. 183) Charisma is not always an asset and is frequently used in negative ways. Two people that immediately come to mind include Adolph Hitler and Osama Bin Laden. These are two of the most charismatic leaders to have ever lived, and although they had many followers, it is safe to say that neither of these two are viewed as positive leaders. These are just two extreme examples of leaders using charisma for personal gains. Charismatic Disasters Adolph Hitler Hitler gained a large support group through the use of Charisma at his mass rallies. He would incite such an intense emotion in the people attending the rallies that they would become blind to anything other than what Hitler would say. It was as if people became spell bound and were unable to think for themselves. Hitler was able to realize that in order for him to carry out his plan he would need the support of the people. He also was able to comprehend the fact that “what is needed is not the...
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...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 on Islamic fundamentalist rule, something that very few people believe can really happen. As a result, its ranks are disillusioned by this relative lack of achievement. This paper will show how the comparison of Al Qaeda and the IRA serves as an excellent case study in attempting to see why the latter has become a stalwart in the history of terrorism, and why the former is ultimately destined to...
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...Lastly one invention that affected Americans was CGI editing. It enabled Americans to manipulate moving objects while it happened. Bush, 9/11, and CGI are prominent figures and events from 1970-present that reflect how this time period was truly Revolutionary. On July 6th, 1964 in New Haven, Connecticut, George W. Bush was born. Bush was the forty third president of the United States of America. He is mainly remembered for the events that happened on 9/11 and the Iraq War. Before his presidency, Bush ran for governor of Texas as a Republican and won. In 1999 he began his quest for presidency and won the Republican presidential nomination (Bio, 1-3). His first two years of presidency, Bush had most of the political majority, but there was also a divide in the government. Even with this problem, he pushed through a $1.35 trillion tax cut to stimulate the economy (Bio pg.3). Even during great times, bad things can happen. On 11 September, 2001, there were 4...
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...Chantal Badie Islamic Extremists English 135-Advanced Composition Devry University Dr. Ralph Monday April 7, 2011 Islamic Extremists Nearly everyone has heard about Islam and the Arab world. In addition, many countries have already faced issues with the Muslim believers. Islam has caused problems, terrorist attacks, anti-democracy all over the world. They were also very successful in sending a message of who they truly are. People who are literally obedient to the Islamic faith are called Islamic Extremists. People, who are of the Islamic faith however desire to survive in peace without tribulations are not considered obedient or dutiful to the Islamic faith, these people are called moderate Muslims. Therefore, the Islamic religious extremists are the major group in Islam who follow the Qur’an word for word and create extreme violence that moderate Muslims do not. Islamic extremism started in Egypt in the late 1920s. During the inter-war years, the country was occupied by the British military. The Nationalist Wafd movement, led by Saad Zaghloul, opposed the presence of the British, as would anyone whose country is being occupied by a foreign military power. (A brief history of Islamic extremism) In 1928, Hassan al-Banna established the term “The Muslim Brotherhood” which was the first Islamist movement. The British government supported the nascent movement in an attempt to counterbalance the Nationalists. In modern Egyptian politics, the Muslim Brotherhood is the largest...
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...Chantal Badie Islamic Extremists English 135-Advanced Composition Devry University Dr. Ralph Monday April 7, 2011 Islamic Extremists Nearly everyone has heard about Islam and the Arab world. In addition, many countries have already faced issues with the Muslim believers. Islam has caused problems, terrorist attacks, anti-democracy all over the world. They were also very successful in sending a message of who they truly are. People who are literally obedient to the Islamic faith are called Islamic Extremists. People, who are of the Islamic faith however desire to survive in peace without tribulations are not considered obedient or dutiful to the Islamic faith, these people are called moderate Muslims. Therefore, the Islamic religious extremists are the major group in Islam who follow the Qur’an word for word and create extreme violence that moderate Muslims do not. Islamic extremism started in Egypt in the late 1920s. During the inter-war years, the country was occupied by the British military. The Nationalist Wafd movement, led by Saad Zaghloul, opposed the presence of the British, as would anyone whose country is being occupied by a foreign military power. (A brief history of Islamic extremism) In 1928, Hassan al-Banna established the term “The Muslim Brotherhood” which was the first Islamist movement. The British government supported the nascent movement in an attempt to counterbalance the Nationalists. In modern Egyptian politics, the Muslim Brotherhood is the largest...
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...In the U.S.-led “global war on terrorism,” al-Qa`ida and its militant affiliates have come to serve as both symbol and explanatory matrix for a range of disparate militant groups in the Middle East and beyond. Included among these are the Palestinian rejectionist factions and the Lebanese Hizballah, despite the fact that their roots, worldviews, and agendas are inimical to those of al-Qa`ida. This article argues that the scholarly and political effort to lump together diverse resistance groups into a homogenous “terrorist enemy,” ultimately symbolized by Osama Bin Laden, is part and parcel of neocolonial power politics whereby all “native” struggles against established power structures are placed beyond reason and dialogue. The authors contend that while the Palestinian rejectionist factions and the Lebanese Hizballah may be understood as local representations of the anticolonial “third worldist” movement, al-Qa`ida and its affiliates operate within a “neo–third worldist” framework, a dichotomy that entails tactical and strategic differences, both political and military. The article draws on an extensive series of author interviews with leaders and cadres from Hizballah and the Palestinian factions. In response to al-Qa`ida’s 11 September 2001 attacks, the United States declared war not merely against those who had set upon it, but against an open-ended range of “terrorist organizations and those who harbor and support them.”1 Within two weeks of the attacks, U.S. President George...
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...On August 6, 1945, the United States used a massive, atomic weapon against Hiroshima, Japan. This atomic bomb, the equivalent of 20,000 tons of TNT, flattened the city, killing tens of thousands of civilians. While Japan was still trying to comprehend this devastation three days later, the United States struck again, this time, on Nagasaki.[1] The atomic bombings of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan were conducted by the United States during the final stages of World War II in 1945. These two events represent the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date. [2] Following a firebombing campaign that destroyed many Japanese cities, the Allies prepared for a costly invasion of Japan. The war in Europe ended when Nazi Germany signed its instrument of surrender on 8 May, but the Pacific War continued. Together with the United Kingdom and the Republic of China, the United States called for a surrender of Japan in the Potsdam Declaration on 26 July 1945, threatening Japan with "prompt and utter destruction". The Japanese government ignored this ultimatum, and the United States deployed two nuclear weapons developed by the Manhattan Project. American airmen dropped Little Boy on the city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, followed by Fat Man over Nagasaki on 9 August.[3] Within the first two to four months of the bombings, the acute effects killed 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki, with roughly half of the deaths in each city occurring on the first...
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...I am writing about a man we are all very familiar with. This person is a first at what he has done and has probably affected more Americans in ways we have not begun to appreciate. I believe this man has done great things despite the odds. Yet, he is still criticized, yelled at, called names and mistrusted. You have a right to hate the President, but make sure you have the facts straight first. With all of this, he still wakes up each day and goes to battle for the ones who support him and more importantly for those who do not. How difficult it must be to know that just to be accepted by your fellow citizens, you must prove every detail of your existence. No other person has been put through so much scrutiny and so much debate yet he still pushes forward. Knowing his purpose is much larger than himself. To hate someone for being a different color, race or gender is pretty much normal for this society. To deny someone the right to live, work or even worship in America is common, though some try to cover that fact up. Too many have been killed, hung, tortured and burned just because of being different or misunderstood. For this individual to have knowledge of history in America and to have felt the hate, he still wants to push on to complete the race to make a difference. Well, that is the kind of person he is. I am sure he knew the tremendous challenge set before him and the lack of support. Still each day, little by little, he kept attacking...
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