...the current state of the union, one of the most influential people to hurt the soul of this country wasn’t even American. Osama bin Laden, viewed as the poster child of anti-American Islamic extremists, has inspired people. Through his successful acts of destruction against the U.S. and other westernized countries, he encourages others like him to do the same even from the dead. To many Americans, September 11th will go down as one of the most horrible days in our country’s history. Due to the deep scar he has left across our country and the hope he gives those like him who want to destroy western ideals, Osama bin Laden is one of the most...
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...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...
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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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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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... the miltiary from the U.S.A killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. He was finally defeated after all of those years that have past by. People still crying over the loss of their family members killed because of his horrible actions. He was found close to Islamabad, Pakistan. Intelligence officials are for certain, bin Laden was responsible for many deadly acts of terrorism, which may including the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the one that changed the live of many american citizens the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. His body was dump into the sea. FBI wanted him for more than a decade (10 years). A gunshot was his ending, the fatal gunshoot is what took his...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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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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...Nairobi, Kenya in the year 1998. In 2001, Al Qaeda and other militants affiliated to the group staged the September Eleven Attacks which left hundreds of people dead, others critically injured, and valuable properties destroyed in the US. Osama Bin Laden, the then leader, was claimed to be behind the attack and mission to apprehend him began immediately. This leader was killed later, but the group is still in operation with fewer activities taking place. Techniques Used by Al Qaeda Up to Date, Al Qaeda still exists, but its operations have decreased significantly. The death of its main leader Osama Bin Laden on May 2011, had significant impacts on the group since their organizational structure, and manpower was disoriented. Besides, the members of Al Qaeda got dispatched to other affiliate terror groups (Wiktorowicz, 2004). However, the group and its members are still involved in terrorism where they use modern and critical techniques to complete their missions. Message Framing is one of the techniques that the group uses to increase recognition, support, and power with the people. Messaging framing, particularly in spreading violence or creating a “defense” after an attack is known as propaganda. Al Qaeda uses this technique to influence public opinion by waging their propaganda campaigns, for instance, against the United States. This technique began to gain prominence after the September 11th Attacks. This group propagates framed messages and others with online videos to...
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