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Michael Scheuer
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Osama Bin Laden Hardcover – February 17, 2011

by Michael Scheuer (Author)
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9/11 almost instantaneously remade American politics and foreign policy. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Patriot Act, water boarding and Guantanamo are examples of its profound and far-reaching effects. But despite its monumental impact--and a deluge of books about al-Qaeda and Islamist terrorism--no one has written a serious assessment of the man who planned it, Osama bin Laden. Available biographies depict bin Laden as an historical figure, the mastermind behind 9/11, but no longer relevant to the world it created. These accounts, Michael Scheuer strongly believes, have contributed to a widespread and dangerous denial of his continuing significance and power.

In this book, Scheuer provides a much-needed corrective--a hard-headed, closely reasoned portrait of bin Laden, showing him to be a figure of remarkable leadership skills, strategic genius, and considerable rhetorical abilities. The first head of the CIA's bin Laden Unit, where he led the effort to track down bin Laden, Scheuer draws from a wealth of information about bin Laden and his evolution from peaceful Saudi dissident to America's Most Wanted. Shedding light on his development as a theologian, media manipulator, and paramilitary commander, Scheuer makes use of all the speeches and interviews bin Laden has given as well as lengthy interviews, testimony, and previously untranslated documents written by those who grew up with bin Laden in Saudi Arabia, served as his bodyguards and drivers, and fought alongside him against the Soviets. The bin Laden who emerges from these accounts is devout, talented, patient, and ruthless; in other words, a truly formidable and implacable enemy of the West.

Acclaim for Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terrorism

"Pulls few punches...a fascinating window on America's war with Al Qaeda."
--Michiko Kakutani, New York Times

"No serious observer of the war on terrorism can ignore this scathing critique."
--Peter Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc.

"A powerful, persuasive analysis of the terrorist threat and the Bush administration's failed efforts to fight it."
--Richard A. Clarke, Washington Post Book World

"A fire-breathing denunciation of U.S. counterterrorism policy."
--Julian Borger, The Guardian

"Presents overwhelmingly persuasive evidence to buttress a host of significant and controversial arguments."
--Benjamin Schwarz, Atlantic Monthly

"Destined to become a classic in the field of counterterrorism analysis."
--Bruce Hoffman, author of Inside Terrorism
Previous page
  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  4. Publication date
    February 17, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    8.3 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0199738661
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0199738663
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This propulsive biography is not bin Laden for beginners, but its central point is clear. Scheuer (Imperial Hubris), chief of the CIA's Osama bin Laden unit from 1996 to 1999, argues that the West chronically underestimates bin Laden's "piety, generosity, personal bravery, strategic ability, charisma and patience." In creating a cartoonish enemy, the U.S. has "mindlessly" played into bin Laden's plans to provoke a war on Muslim soil to catalyze a jihad to "obliterate America from within, by making it economically weak, until its markets collapse." The depiction of bin Laden's evolution from devout student to militant leader is deeply detailed and dense, and readers unable to keep up with a dissection of Islam's diverse creeds and doctrines will feel overwhelmed at times, but Scheuer's project is lucid and important. Bin Laden "anticipated a war of attrition that might last decades" and has planned ahead. He has cultivated a multigenerational cadre of between 5,000 and 7,000 loyal warriors, many from the educated upper classes. The conflict with al-Qaeda will, by bin Laden's design, likely be multigenerational, and Scheuer takes a crucial step in revealing how the West keeps itself vulnerable by persisting in demonizing rather than understanding its formidable opponent. (Feb.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Scheuer, chief of the CIA’s bin Laden unit from 1996 to 1999 and a consultant to that unit until 2004, delivers an unnerving profile of the al-Qaeda leader. Unnerving not just because it lays out bin Laden’s genius in luring the U.S. into a financially ruinous “war on terrorism” but also because it shows a “pious, brave, intelligent, charismatic” man fully capable of leading an insurgent Muslim force against the West, a profile at odds with the more fanatical, marginalized figure often portrayed by mainstream media. Scheuer tracks bin Laden’s life from his Saudi childhood as the son of a remote but revered and very wealthy contractor all the way to his place as one of the pivotal political figures of our time. More to the point, as he has in previous books (Marching toward Hell, 2008), Scheuer argues that bin Laden’s success owes as much to America’s ineptness in the Mideast as it does to bin Laden himself, a sentiment that should warn policymakers and citizens alike. --Alan Moores

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (February 17, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199738661
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199738663
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Michael Scheuer

Michael Scheuer

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Michael Scheuer is a twenty-plus-year CIA veteran. From 1996 to 1999, he served as the Chief of the bin Laden unit (aka Alec Station), the Osama bin Laden tracking unit at the Counterterrorism Center. He then worked as Special Adviser to the Chief of the bin Laden unit from September 2001 to November 2004. He resigned from the CIA in 2004. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University and a Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, writing regularly for its online publication Global Terrorism Analysis. He lives in Virginia with his wife and two children.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
85 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nathan
5.0 out of 5 stars Osama Bin Laden: Ten Years Later
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2011
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Ten years ago this weekend, the 9/11 attacks took place. The effects of that day's events are still as pertinent today as they were a decade ago because of the two major wars that have been ignited as a response, and also because of the loss of civil liberties due to increased security. One aspect that makes this anniversary different from the rest is this one is the first without Osama bin Laden still alive.
It is worth going back now to look at the man who financed and inspired the attacks. Osama bin Laden may be dead but the objectives he strove to achieve have in a large part become a reality. His initial motives for declaring Jihad (holy war) against the United States in 1995 have actually been met. Michael Scheuer, chief of the CIA's bin Laden unit from 1996 to 1999, provides something revealing in his recent book Osama bin Laden. It was sixteen years ago on August 23, 1995, when Osama bin Laden declared Jihad on the United States. In his declaration and subsequent statements he laid out plainly what he wanted to achieve. In his book Scheuer cites bin Laden's three primary goals:
(1) Helping to bleed America into bankruptcy.
(2) Spreading out U.S. military and intelligence forces to the point where they have little reserves or flexibility.
(3) Stripping away American allies and creating as much political divisiveness as possible in the United States.(pg. viii)
In each case, bin Laden ultimately achieved his objectives. America has been bled into bankruptcy by two no-end wars, living beyond our means, barrowing, and inflation. Our military has been stretched dangerously thin as a result our intention to police the world. Our allies have indeed been stripped away as we have made enemies abroad because of our arrogant foreign policy. Lastly we are no doubt living in a time of great political divisiveness with more and more Americans becoming disillusioned with our foreign and domestic policies.
If we look at bin Laden as a man with three particular objectives in mind, we will see that in a large part as a result of our response to 9/11 we have created a situation for ourselves that puts us right where he wanted us. Bin Laden was astute enough to realize we could weaken our own influence in the world over time better than he could with his single act of terrorism.
In conclusion, the ramifications of 9/11 a decade later affect our nation as it tries to finance the wars and to cope with the loss of civil liberties due to homeland security. Bin Laden probably looked upon this fact with some since of satisfaction. America's lost her much of her influence in the world, which is what he wanted.
4 people found this helpful
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D.J. Tonn
5.0 out of 5 stars Scheuer presents an excellent overview of UBL and relevant factoids surrounding historical data
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2018
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Scheuer presents an excellent overview of UBL and relevant factoids surrounding historical data. Great read, as the book provides an opportunity for the reader to expand/expound or broaden their respective knowledge in this sector of study!
One person found this helpful
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Jamie Michael Norris
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2013
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Awesome book about what Usama wants the world to know why he attacked the USA on 9/11, the first time i read this i understood his thinking by now i know this as the story the CIA wants you to think....bin Laden bad guys killed people...not so Usama agent of CIA for many years.
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Hard2hear
4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful perspective
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2011
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Bin Laden is an enigmatic personality who has been described in the Western media as a Satanic Terrorist Leader who has a fanatical and warped sense of Islam that has brought undeseved harm to the West and our alies.
While this is one aspect of who he is, the Book by Scheur gives an indepth understanding of his background, the development of his ideas, formation of Al Queda and importantly: what is his goal and why does he believe what he does and how does he plan to accomplish it.
This book is particularly enlightening and creates a broader perspective regarding the dynamics and the turmoil in the Middle East (Especially the current revolations in Egypt, Libya,Algeria, etc). While I don't give any credit to Bin Laden for any positive attributes, one can see where his plans and execution give the name "Mastermind" real meaning, albeit, a very evil one.
For a student of today's dynamics in the Middle East and what the future may hold, this is a book that is worth reading.
3 people found this helpful
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Thomas Dunnam
5.0 out of 5 stars It's Important to Know Who Osama Bin Laden Really Is.
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2016
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Excellent biography. The best material on Bin Laden I've seen anywhere. An objective and very professional assessment of a dire adversary.
4 people found this helpful
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ronald w. oliver
5.0 out of 5 stars Paperback I received is great. Also looking for a hardcover book of the ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2015
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Paperback I received is great. Also looking for a hardcover book of the same book- 1st edition, 1st printing. Thank you.
One person found this helpful
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MS
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2014
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I learned more from this book about modern politics than I imagined I would. Michael Scheuer's thesis makes a lot of sense.
2 people found this helpful
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JSR
3.0 out of 5 stars pretty good
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2014
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Very informative but I don't like the authors know it all attitude protraid via his words. Particularly toward the west and how he knows how the USA could have handled finding him better. Anyhow... pretty good and very informative
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Top reviews from other countries

pashor
5.0 out of 5 stars Takes some reading
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2020
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All these books about in the shadows activity looking for the worlds evil people are full of data that at times is difficult to follow, and I found myself going back over pages, although watched the program on history channel about the hunt for bin ladin,(or OBL as the CIA called him),and that really took some concentration.Looming Towers is a television adaption of the book on Amazon prime, and heavy going.So the book was the best option, and a book that is difficult to put down.
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C. Nielsen
5.0 out of 5 stars a fine book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2015
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This book clears up the myths and theories about Bin Laden and al-queda, and explains Who the man was and what he intended to achieve. An interesting book for anyone interested in current affairs. It was published a couple of years before his death so his final years are not covered, but this book is well worth reading.
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