Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, and Global Jihadism

 

 

á     What is the global jihadism?  What are its goals?

á     What experiences and events led to the formation of Osama bin LadenÕs ideology?

á     What is the future of Osama bin Laden, his ideology, and his movement?

 

Key Terms

1) global jihadism

2) terrorism

3) jahilyya

4) Takfirism

5) Afghan Arabs

6) Al Qaeda

7) The New Medina

8) 1996 Declaration of War

9) 1998 Fatwa

10) Tora Bora

 

I. Definitions

 

á     Global Jihadism

á     Terrorism

á     ÒWar on TerrorÓ or ÒWar on Global JihadismÓ?

 

 

II. Osama bin LadenÕs Ideology (Bin Ladenism?)

 

á     Islamic Fundamentalism and Islamism

 

á     Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966):  Al QaedaÕs ÒIdeological GodfatherÓ?

o  jahilyya

 

á     The Dream of a New Islamic Caliphate

 

á     The United States:  The ÒHead of the SnakeÓ

 

á     Political and Religious Objectives:

 

á     Bin LadenÕs ÒUltraÓ-Jihadism vs. Traditional Jihadism

o  Takfirism

 

 

III. Osama bin LadenÕs Radicalization and the Origins of al Qaeda, 1979-1996

 

á     Background:  Privileged Youth, Devout Muslim

 

á     The Sahwa: Islamic Awakening and Youth Movement

 

á     The Afghan War, 1979-1989 and the First Radicalization of bin Laden

 

á     Becoming a Holy Warrior (Muhjahid):  Bin Laden in Afghanistan, 1986-1989

o  The ÒAfghan ArabsÓ

o  The Myth of the CIA-Bin Laden Relationship

 

á     The Founding of Al Qaeda (1988):  The Vanguard of Jihadism

 

á     The First Gulf War, Somalia, and the Second Radicalization of bin Laden

 

á     Sojourn in Sudan and the Globalization of Al Qaeda, 1992-1996

 

á     The ÒNew MedinaÓ:  Return to Afghanistan and the Alliance with the Taliban [Mullah Omar]  (1996)

 

 

IV.  Bin Laden at War with the United States, 1996-2006

 

á     August 23, 1996: Bin LadenÕs "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places."  (Zionist-Crusaders)

 

á     April 1997:  Bin Laden restates declaration of war against the US to Peter Bergen

 

á     February 22, 1998:  Bin LadenÕs Fatwa to kill Americans; Launching al Qaeda Anew

 

á     April 1998:  The United States condemns TalibanÕs support for terrorism

 

á     August 1998:  African Embassy Bombings (Tanzania and Kenya)

 

á     September 1998:  US Attacks Al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan

 

á     October 2000:  Attack on USS Cole, al Qaeda suspected

 

á     September 11, 2001:  Attacks on World Trade Center/Pentagon

 

á     October 2001 – Present:  US Invades Afghanistan, Overthrows Taliban

 

á     December 2001:  Osama bin Laden Escapes at Tora Bora

 

V. Bin Laden and al Qaeda since 2002

 

á     Rejection and Defeat:  Al Qaeda on the Ropes, 2001/2002

 

á     Breathing Life back into Al Qaeda and Jihadism:  The Consequences of the Iraq War

 

á     The Forgotten War:  Deterioration in Afghanistan and the Reorganization of Al Qaeda in Pakistan, 2004-2008

 

July 2007        National Intelligence Estimate

   August 2008    Al Qaeda More Secure & Potent

   October 2009  Obama Decides to Focus on Al Qaeda

 

9/11 and the Cost of War