Rating: 
Summary: Must-read if we really want to eliminate "terrorism"
Review: An absolutely outstanding book that anyone who wants to find our why the US is facing the threat of terrorism ought to read. However, as long as most Americans think of Bin Laden and his cohorts as simply terrorists and turbaned yahoos, we will not be able to implement policy changes needed to decrease the threat of terrorism. I'm afraid this mindset will persist until many more Americans are killed in terrorist attacks.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Insightful Read
Review: Awesome book. Should be mandatory reading for all government officials as well as Americans themselves. It would surely cut down on the amount of ignorance in this country concerning the Arab world. It forces American's to take a good hard look at themselves, something which we rarely do. And we can only hope those in charge of our country will wake up. (yea right, a politician self examine? ha!)once I started reading this I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: slaps the neocons in the face with facts
Review: Firstly "Anonymous" isn't completely anonymous, his name as author of this book and "Imperial Hubris" has been published in Editor and Publisher as well as several newspapers. Everyone in Washington knows who it is. His name (initials M.S.) was withheld by the CIA because of the political consiquences of having the country's most seasoned and widely respected expert on counter terrorism rip into the Neocons and the administration for their simple minded gutting of the war on terrorism in order to go to Iraq. for more on this read his upcoming "Imperial Hubris" which really lays bear how the neocons have set us up for Al-Queda spawns of the future that will make Osama Bin Laden look like a flea. This book is a must read for every American. Learn from the nation's best counter terrorism expert how the Bush administration and especially the neocons pulled the legs out from under our counter terrorism efforts the day they got into office.
Rating:
Summary: It's a new/old threat
Review: I read "Through Our Enemies' Eyes" while on active duty with the Nevada National Guard in the Middle East. I have spent eight years in this part of the world, and Anonymous has pegged the viewpoint of many people in this region concerning the United States and Osama Bin Laden. Opinion here isn't uniform--but the United States is seen as an outsider.
Osama Bin Laden is not a new type of threat. The Assassin cult in this area was also a stateless movement promoting religious conformity to an ideal--and may have been the force that ended the Islamic empire. Then there was another stateless movement of anarchists, the Terrorists, about 100 years ago. The most successful movement went from stateless to world superpower during the period 1830 to 1990--yes, those Cold War foes of the West, the Communists. The Communists were very much a stateless organization until after the Russian Revolution. Once they established themselves as a national government, the threat of Communism changed. That's why Trotsky was murdered in Mexico--he was trying to export revolution the "old fashioned way" like Bin Laden is doing now. Problem: having a homeland means being a target. Stalin had to kill Trotsky in order to save the Soviet Union.
I have purchased several copies of this book as gifts for friends and relatives still serving in military and government office because this is an important book for their professional bookshelves. My one reservation is that the threat posed by Bin Laden's organization (and the greater threat posed by Bin Laden as a symbol) (and the even greater threat of American myopia) is that Bin Laden is not really something new or different. The author may have chosen to portray Bin Laden as "new" because the current American government mindset--the one that foundered in Vietnam--blinds us to reality in the modern world.
Rating: 
Summary: A good essay or short memo--but a tedious book
Review: Michael Scheuer is upset that he must write his books (this one and the upcoming "Imperial Hubris") under his pen name, Anonymous, or lose his CIA post. This reviewer hopes that he is made redundant in the upcoming CIA re-organization and can devote himself to his writing. He has an important message: Osama has a large following: is seen by his followers as a dedicated and devout Muslim; has proclaimed himself at war with the US since 1996; is trying and may have succeeding in securing WMD; and has built an organization that will likely outlive him. Scheuer asserts that it is more useful to think of Bin Laden as an insurgent than as a terrorist. While asserting that modern western man cannot understand the religious mindset of Islamic fundamentalists, Scheuer makes tedious recurring efforts to compare Osama to historical American figures like John Brown (useful), Tom Paine and other founding fathers (less useful). This book should be recommended to anyone ignorant of Osama and Al Qaeda. Or someone who had heard of neither before 9/11. One of the most powerful sections of the book is the summary of all of Osama's acts after declaring war on the US in 1996 and the tepid US response--what on earth were Richard Clarke, Michael Scheuer, and Bill Clinton thinking and doing?? Someone already aware of the history will wish this was a short article in Foreign Policy. Scheuer feels that our Foreign policy is fatally flawed. From his analysis the three biggest problems with US policy seem to be:
1. The US backing of Israel,
2. The US willingness to bomb Muslims,
3. The US unwillingness to wage total war on Al Queda and its backers. Unfortunately Scheuer gives no guidance on how #2 and #3 can be reconciled and no thoughts on how to constructively abandon Israel. Maybe--when he has more time--he can think through some solutions. Early reviews of "Imperial Hubris" indicate that it is largely a retread of this book, only Bush's actions rather than Clinton's lack of action are criticized.
Rating: 
Summary: What does Osama really want?
Review: Normally a book review by Newt Gingrich would be the kiss of death, but in this case this book by the bespectacled and bearded author "Anonymous" seems to be a worthwhile read. Its not news that Radical Islam is the enemy of both Muslims and others, but any book that seeks to portray how some Muslims have latched onto Bin Laden as a symbol is a good thing. I would caution though in reading too much into the respect and homage paid by impoverished Muslims in the personage of Usama Bin Laden. None of these people want to see innocents killed or maimed. In a very simplistic way, Bin Laden is simply the guy who stood up to the U.S.A. and gave them a bloody-nose, and that is why there are T-shirts out there emblazoned with his image. Tragically, Bush now seems to be doing all the wrong things in his attempts to combat this threat. While the whack-a-mole approach may squeak him into a 2nd Term, in the long run its not going to solve the problem. Ironically, as the author has himself noted, Bin Laden seems to be on his way to getting 2 of his wishes fulfilled... U.S. troops out of Arabia, and the end to secular, despotic regimes. The part about his wanting the destruction of the American way of life is a canard. Once the other major irritant is resolved - that of the festering Israeli/Palestinian conflict - and with REAL democratic reforms occuring (read: Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Gulf States, etc.) then I think we can look to this threat as simply withering away... its raison d'etre having been lost. In the end we may not end up with the democracies we like (ie. Turkey), but they will be THEIR democracies, and should give enough voice for the people so that we won't end up with more Bin Ladens... the kind we've helped produce through our decades-long support of friendly-dicatorships like in Egypt, Saudi, & Iraq. There is Hope in this battle. But it won't be won with Bradleys and Predators, nor with the likes of Charlotte Beers. Along with the reforms and actions mentioned previously, we should now be pushing for massive exchanges of students from the Muslim World (with appropriate screening of course), instead of the opposite of what is happening now, with students having pulled out and numbers dwindling. Its scandalous when Fulbright scholarship students from the Arab world cannot come to the U.S. for their studies because of bureaucratic ineptitude. We need to be building bridges more than ever, instead of blowing them up.
Rating:
Summary: A good essay or short memo--but a tedious book
Review: Osama bin Laden hates Americans. In fact, he thinks secular America is the devil's spawn, and that most American Muslims have assimilated beyond the point of redemption. (Which is kind of funny, since Daniel Pipes keeps accusing American Muslims of being a 5th Column in the United States that supports OBL, and wanders around his lecture tours calling members of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a LIBERAL Muslim group, terrorists...) Then the worse news. OBL actually has REASONS he hates America, and they're not the simplistic "hating freedom" nonsense spouted by the Bush administration. While OBL's methods are completely different, he shares many of his basic complaints - about Western governments and companies raping Islamic countries' resources, the "enslavement" of Muslim populations by Western businesses that don't pay the locals fairly, and a general feeling that "the West" controls the Rest for its own benefit - of the antiglobalization movement. What's interesting is that while the left started out quite peacefully, as its message has been ignored, more have begun joining what could be described as OBL-type groups in their infancy, such as the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) responsible for several fires. Is it really a coincidence that OBL-style terrorism and "ecoterrorists" actually have some of the same complaints? Maybe both have a point about what the US government and its lackeys are doing to the world, and the people who live on it. Methods aside, of course, which are deplorable. I just wish this book went that deep into discussing the problem, but (sigh) it only covers "international" OBL-style terrorism and their motives.
Rating:
Summary: First the bad news...
Review: Osama bin Laden hates Americans. In fact, he thinks secular America is the devil's spawn, and that most American Muslims have assimilated beyond the point of redemption. (Which is kind of funny, since Daniel Pipes keeps accusing American Muslims of being a 5th Column in the United States that supports OBL, and wanders around his lecture tours calling members of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a LIBERAL Muslim group, terrorists...) Then the worse news. OBL actually has REASONS he hates America, and they're not the simplistic "hating freedom" nonsense spouted by the Bush administration. While OBL's methods are completely different, he shares many of his basic complaints - about Western governments and companies raping Islamic countries' resources, the "enslavement" of Muslim populations by Western businesses that don't pay the locals fairly, and a general feeling that "the West" controls the Rest for its own benefit - of the antiglobalization movement. What's interesting is that while the left started out quite peacefully, as its message has been ignored, more have begun joining what could be described as OBL-type groups in their infancy, such as the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) responsible for several fires. Is it really a coincidence that OBL-style terrorism and "ecoterrorists" actually have some of the same complaints? Maybe both have a point about what the US government and its lackeys are doing to the world, and the people who live on it. Methods aside, of course, which are deplorable. I just wish this book went that deep into discussing the problem, but (sigh) it only covers "international" OBL-style terrorism and their motives.
Rating:
Summary: A Noteworthy Read
Review: There's so much literature about bin Laden, al-Qaeda, etc. that I just don't even bother to get myself involved in it. I had picked up this book, thinking, it was going to read like the Pentagon Papers and just give me a bad headache. I was wrong. Instead, I found that Anonymous gave insightful information and different angles on the subject. It's about reality and less hocus pocus. S/he showed parts of the situation I never explored or even bothered to care about. S/he is very descriptive without getting wordy or over-exaggerated and gets to the meat of it. This author talks/discusses with you and not over/at you. It's simple, short but descriptive enough to read. You don't need to know the complete, in-depth history of x, y, or z. It's a nice quick reference book about bin Laden: from his education to the Taliban connection and Muslim point of view. I actually want to learn more and answer the questions that the book brought up and the ones I've made as well. Anonymous precisely focuses on the topic and rarely strays from it. You know what s/he will be talking about in every chapter. Within each chapter, there are also subdivisions and headings that tell you what s/he will be discussing. S/he really zeroes in specifically and makes sure that it's not confusing. The break up of the chapter helps make it more focused and I didn't get as lost at all. Another really helpful bit is the complete index and reference page at the end of the book as well as a short glossary of terms that may be unfamiliar. S/he also emphasizes certain points to the reader to make sure we don't start jumping to conclusions. I'd suggest reading the author's note to the glossary. I found that Anonymous mostly asking the reader to have an open mind and keep things in perspective. S/he made a point about the media representations by US/West and bin Laden's own propaganda in MidEast. I think s/he did his best to give a picture of both sides. S/he uses quotes from many resources and wants the reader to judge for him/herself what it means. Anonymous makes sure that when quoting, the reader understands who, what, where, why, when of the quotes and it's not just some quote from somewhere. It's quite easy to be biased and I hope people will give this great book a chance. Some people may be put off by the fact that the book doesn't put the US/West in a 'pretty light', but the Author also shows the violence/illusions of bin Laden as well. Neither parties are saints. One of the most important points Anonymous brings up is the fact that, at one time or another, we (US or Western civ, etc) held the same beliefs and passions of bin Laden. That in the end, we (humans) are all the same. You may not agree or like it, but it's one angle of reality that cannot be ignored because ignorance only festers more ignorance.
Rating:
Summary: A Noteworthy Read
Review: There's so much literature about bin Laden, al-Qaeda, etc. that I just don't even bother to get myself involved in it. I had picked up this book, thinking, it was going to read like the Pentagon Papers and just give me a bad headache. I was wrong. Instead, I found that Anonymous gave insightful information and different angles on the subject. It's about reality and less hocus pocus. S/he showed parts of the situation I never explored or even bothered to care about. S/he is very descriptive without getting wordy or over-exaggerated and gets to the meat of it. This author talks/discusses with you and not over/at you. It's simple, short but descriptive enough to read. You don't need to know the complete, in-depth history of x, y, or z. It's a nice quick reference book about bin Laden: from his education to the Taliban connection and Muslim point of view. I actually want to learn more and answer the questions that the book brought up and the ones I've made as well. Anonymous precisely focuses on the topic and rarely strays from it. You know what s/he will be talking about in every chapter. Within each chapter, there are also subdivisions and headings that tell you what s/he will be discussing. S/he really zeroes in specifically and makes sure that it's not confusing. The break up of the chapter helps make it more focused and I didn't get as lost at all. Another really helpful bit is the complete index and reference page at the end of the book as well as a short glossary of terms that may be unfamiliar. S/he also emphasizes certain points to the reader to make sure we don't start jumping to conclusions. I'd suggest reading the author's note to the glossary. I found that Anonymous mostly asking the reader to have an open mind and keep things in perspective. S/he made a point about the media representations by US/West and bin Laden's own propaganda in MidEast. I think s/he did his best to give a picture of both sides. S/he uses quotes from many resources and wants the reader to judge for him/herself what it means. Anonymous makes sure that when quoting, the reader understands who, what, where, why, when of the quotes and it's not just some quote from somewhere. It's quite easy to be biased and I hope people will give this great book a chance. Some people may be put off by the fact that the book doesn't put the US/West in a 'pretty light', but the Author also shows the violence/illusions of bin Laden as well. Neither parties are saints. One of the most important points Anonymous brings up is the fact that, at one time or another, we (US or Western civ, etc) held the same beliefs and passions of bin Laden. That in the end, we (humans) are all the same. You may not agree or like it, but it's one angle of reality that cannot be ignored because ignorance only festers more ignorance.
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