Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America

Rating:
Summary: On the Contrary
Review: Contrary:
His book, Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America, was sort of a quickie meant to exploit the huge interest in the Saudi-born Islamist at the time. It may have sold well but scholars meticulous about facts and those knowledgeable regarding bin Laden quickly detected mistakes in the book and pointed them out. One such scholar is Peter L Bergen, an American journalist who had interviewed bin Laden near Jalalabad in 1997 as member of a CNN crew.
In his authoritative book, Holy War Inc: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden, Bergen wrote how Bodansky misinformed readers while describing bin Laden. "Bodansky describes the teenage bin Laden visiting Beirut to drink, womanize and get involved in bar brawls. Those who know bin Laden, however, describe him as a deeply religious teenager who married at the age of seventeen. Perhaps Bodansky confused Osama with one of his twenty or so half-brothers." Another Bodansky blunder is narrated in the following words by Bergen: "Bodansky also writes that in 1994 bin Laden traveled to London, where he 'settled' in the London suburb of Wembley, a notion that Arab dissidents and journalists living in London find amusing." All accounts of bin Laden's life to date missed out on this vital piece of information and it was left to Bodansky to report, while failing to provide any evidence that the alleged terrorist mastermind had once settled in London.
That is not all. Bergen highlighted another example in his book to show that Bodansky never really cared about checking his facts. Over to Bergen again: "Bodansky makes another fantastic assertion: that the 1996 crash of TWA flight 800 in Long Island Sound, which killed 230 people, was a joint operation between Iran and bin Laden. However, an exhaustive two-year investigation by the National Transport Safety Board and the FBI ruled out terrorism in the TWA 800 crash." Mercifully, the investigation was carried out by the National Transport Safety Board and the FBI and not by someone like Bodansky, otherwise the US would now be raining bombs and rockets on Iran.
The above examples, pinpointed by a respected American author, about Bodansky's shortcomings as a scholar have damaged his reputation. Few, if any, would believe his latest disclosures about bin Laden keeping in view his lack of credibility. For Bodansky to make such claims when the world's only superpower doesn't know bin Laden's whereabouts is ridiculous. It also shows Bodansky's anti-Pakistan bias. It would be naive on the part of any scholar of standing to believe that the ISI would shelter bin Laden when the government of President General Pervez Musharraf is going out of the way to cooperate with the US in hunting down remnants of the al-Qaeda and Taliban. Lt Gen Ehsanul Haq, a trusted lieutenant of General Musharraf, commands the ISI and to think that it would disobey the Army chief's orders is absurd. The ISI in the past may have been more loyal to the Army chief than the civilian prime minister but it is now an altogether different situation. The armed forces are fully entrenched in power and the ISI is just an extension of the military government. There cannot be any dichotomy in the policies of President General Musharraf and the ISI chief because they are one and the same.
Beside, it must kept in mind that bin Laden has always been very critical of the Musharraf government owing to its close ties with the US and it would be suicidal for him to trust Islamabad. In fact, bin Laden in an interview with the writer in 1998 bitterly asked why successive governments in Pakistan trusted America instead of God Almighty. Bodansky's claim that bin Laden was being protected by the ISI debunks the commonly held belief that there have never been intimate ties between him and recent Pakistani governments.

Pakistan as a forefront nation:
The delay in getting bin Laden is beginning to unnerve the US authorities and President George W Bush, who earlier accused the Saudi-born Islamic militant of being the sponsor of acts of terrorism worldwide, is now saying that the war on terror isn't about an individual. The failure of the American troops in killing or capturing bin Laden in Afghanistan despite being fully in control of that country is prompting Washington to pass on the buck to Pakistan. In fact, search operations for al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives in Pakistan are proving less costly, easier and successful compared to those in Afghanistan due to the fact that Pakistani soldiers and militiamen rather than the Americans are in the forefront of the campaign and are taking losses. In Afghanistan, the US is spending much more by paying off the ill-disciplined Afghan fighters and also exposing its soldiers to risks while hunting down al-Qaeda and Taliban members. The Pakistanis are doing the job rather cheaply and then there is no real risk to the Americans who stay in the background and provide technical know-how and intelligence on the wanted men and their likely hideouts in Pakistan. It also pays to get scholars such as Bodansky to put more pressure on Islamabad by authoritatively speculating that bin Laden was being protected by the ISI and was.
Pakistan has taken a great risk of allying itself with the U.S in their war on terrorism. The fact of the matter is that the Pakistan military and not the American forces undertook all key arrests of al-Qaeeda. We have lost considerable number of forces; as well as attacks on foreigners in Pakistan by disgruntled Al-Qaeeda forces. It is quite disheartening to read a text as this and find such unappreciation.

Conclusion:
I respectfully state Mr. Yossef Bodansky that your assertions are incorrect and untrue. You do not provide facts and proof to support your assertions.

Rating:
Summary: This is an important, serious book
Review: Yosesef Bodansky has written a serious book about Bin Laden and the terrorist world in which he operates (operated?). It was published in 1999 long before the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

Bodansky links together the last 20 or so years of Islamic terrorismâ'¦ their funding, the BCCI and it's collapse, al Qaida, their training, their links to Iran, Pakistan's ISI and its politics, their organization and their goals. He presents a picture of a global organization, not isolated individuals acting independently. He cites the religious and intellectual leadership that reconciles Sunni and Shiite differences and uniting them in the greater cause of jihad against the infidel west. He clarifies how such leadership has justified the elimination of opposition in their homelands based on un-Islamic policies. These are of course self-proclaimed leaders.

Is this a biography of Bin Laden? It is certainly not a typical biography. We don't learn about his childhood, his relationship with his siblings and parents, and whether he got good grades in school. We do learn about the relationships that the author believes made him the man that he is. In fact in the first 2 chapters the author presents a picture of a man that you might admire, if you didn't know what was to come.

After the 9/11 attacks, I saw educated, English speaking Muslins living in the mid east interviewed on television denying Bin Ladenâ''s involvement, demanding that the US show their proof of his involvement, and citing him as an Islamic hero of the Afghan resistance. I thought it they were just lying supporters of a terrorists. I saw the Palestinians dancing in the streets. Are these one and the same people? Why would people who danced in the streets at the murder of thousands of people that they had never met, have an ethical or moral problem with lying? Bodansky's book explains much of this sentiment. I did not like what I read.

Some reviewers have cited a lack of footnotes as the reason for dismissing this book. I am amazed how important this seems to be to these readers. There are five pages of sources listed at the end of the book citing over one hundred sources! Given the events of 9/11 and the subsequent disclosures of Bin Laden's organization that have come out of Afghanistan, I cannot take these criticisms seriously.

Badandky's book focuses on the American embassy bombings in Africa and what lead up to them. But, his last two chapters, "The Bin Laden Plans" and "What's Next", are chilling, and accurate. This is an important book to read if you are interested in trying to understand more than the man. Bin Laden is/was a part of a terrorist movement; he helped create an infrastructure that will exist beyond his demise.

I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Background for Sept. 11th 2001
Review: Before 9/11, I did not who Osama Bin Laden was, this book tells you in no uncertain terms who he is and what we as a nation are up against. This book was written about 2.5 years before 9/11 and our war on terrorism but it will give you answers to the questions people are asking now. The link between Osama and Iraq, where the WMD's are, etc. In the light of 9/11 this is one eye opening and scary book.

Rating:
Summary: Must Read For All Americans
Review: Yossef Bodansky goes into exhaustive detail on the history of Osama bin Laden and how he became the man he is today. Bodansky explains the training, the financing, and the methodic steps it takes to pull off a terrorist attack. A process Bin Laden clearly has mastered. First written in 1999, shortly after the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were simultaneously blown up, and updated after the terrorists attacks of September 11th, Bin Laden The Man Who Declared War on America quickly educates us on the fundamental reason why Bin Laden has devoted his life to terrorizing Americans. 'Bin Laden is convinced that United States presence in the Muslim world, particularly in his home country of Saudi Arabia, prevents the establishment of real Islamic governments and the realization of the Islamic revivalism to which he and others aspire. Since a frontal assault is out of the question the United States must be terrorized into withdrawing from the Muslim world.' These reasons, along with the United States' unconditional support for Israel are the reasons behind every terrorist attack on Americans. Bodansky cannot state it any simpler.

Through his years of research, and eight prior books on international terrorism, Bodansky is able to explain the complexities of the network bin Laden has established to carry out terrorist attacks like no other. Upon completion of the book you feel well informed on the man who has caused so much pain here in America. It is also an excellent book to refer back to as the present war on terrorism evolves.

Bin Laden was quick to join the fight against the Soviet Union after their invasion of Afghanistan. Arabs who fought alongside him describe him as fearless. 'He was a hero to us because he was always on the front line, always moving ahead of everyone else, he not only gave his money, but also gave himself. He came down from his palace to live with the Afghan peasants, and Arab fighters. He cooked with them, ate with them, dug trenches with them. That was the bin Laden way.' Osama continues to use the respect and heroic status he achieved during the war against the Soviets, to establish a devoted and loyal following that he now uses to terrorize the U.S.

Perhaps the most critical event, which enabled bin Laden to rise to the top, was the confrontation in Somalia between U.S. troops and a local Muslim warlord in 1993. The confrontation can now be watched on DVD in the movie Black Hawk Down. Bodansky does a remarkable job of explaining how bin Laden had a hand in the operation that would ultimately lead to the death of 18 soldiers and the eviction of U.S. troops from Somalia. Shortly after the U.S. announced plans to begin a humanitarian mission in Somalia, Bin Laden organized the movement of 3,000 trained Afghans along with heavy weapons, high explosives, and supplies from Yemen to Somalia. At a personal cost of $3 million, these troops were critical to the Islamists operational plan of destroying American forces. The death of the 18 soldiers, when a mission to capture the local warlord goes bad, brought shock to Washington and the rest of America who thought the mission of the U.S. military was strictly humanitarian. Shortly after the tragic events on October 3, 1993, U.S. troops were entirely pulled out of Somalia.

While most Americans seem to have forgotten the events of that day, Islamists have not. In fact it was an enormous victory for them that would motivate future terrorists strikes with the goal of evicting U.S. presence in the Gulf. The achievement against the U.S. in Somalia convinced bin Laden that it would be possible to ultimately evict the U.S. from Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states as well. Bin Laden still defines the fighting in Somalia as one of his major triumphs against the U.S. He states in the book, 'We also believe that our battle against America is much simpler than the war against the Soviet Union, because some of our Mujahideen who fought here in Afghanistan also participated in operations against the Americans in Somalia - and they were surprised at the collapse of American morale. This convinced us that Americans are a paper tiger.'

Bodansky's discussions of present day terrorists strikes enable the reading to be fresh as it relates to America's current crisis. One is overcome with an eerie feeling when reading about a visit to the U.S. in 1995 by one of Bin Laden's top men, Ayman Al Zawahiri. His mission was to 'establish first hand the strength and reliability of local networks'and confirm the suitability of various objectives for spectacular strikes.' The events of September 11th were no doubt one of Bin Laden's planned 'spectacular strikes.' The eeriness continues when Zawahiri returned home to Europe 'convinced that the U.S. could become fertile ground for a series of spectacular terrorists operations'provided they were properly planned and professionally executed.' Just six years after his visit the World Trade Center no longer stands and nearly 3,000 U.S. citizens lost their lives in the world deadliest terrorist operation.

Bodansky has written a book we all should study. The extensive research and information he has accumulated on Bin Laden over the past decade, makes this book perhaps the most detailed one in bookstores today. Bodansky provides incredible evidence of Bin Laden's attempts to obtain weapons of mass destruction by spending over $3 million in an effort to purchase a nuclear suitcase from the former Soviet Union. Bodansky also show the collaboration between Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein through his son Qusay Hussein. Such evidence is surly being studied by Washington. As the war on terrorism continues, we can all benefit in gaining a deeper understanding of our enemy. This book is an excellent beginning.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting analysis--but forces you to accept on faith
Review: Bodansky has excellent credentials for this book--many years on the staff of Congressional intelligence committees. He uses this back ground to provide a comprehensive (pre-Cole and pre-9/11) look at the complex international financial and personnel structure bin Laden built to support international terrorism.

While bin Laden was not the spiritual or military leader of the islamic terrorist movement, he is the one who made it viable. He raised the money, developed an international series of interlocking corporations, foundations, and local groups which allowed for the movement of large amounts of money, equipment, and people everywhere from the Phillipines to (as we now know all to well) New York City.

The problem with this book is there are no sources cited. THere is absolutely no way to check the accuracy of Bodansky's narrative. In effect, Bodansky asks the reader to acdept what he says i true based on Bodansky's credentials alone.

It all sounds plausible, particularly in light of September 11, but I found it very uncomfortable having no way to check Bodansky's assertions. Several other reviewers have noted specific inaccuracies--but frankly, none of them touch on the heart of Bodansky's point--that bin Laden is a very competnet paymaster for a wide ranging, extremely dangerous terrorist organization.

Rating:
Summary: Over the Top in Iraq, Brilliant in All Other Respects
Review:

The author is a brilliant Arabist who has refined the art of acquiring and exploiting open sources of information on bin Laden and terrorism to a near science. His "MOSQINT" lectures draw packed houses of professional intelligence officers from over 40 countries.

The book is a hard read, but if one desires to understand the murky inter-relationships among the *governments* of Pakistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, among others, the businesses and charities working actively to channel government and private funds to terrorists, and the global loosely-knit network of "fellow travelers" and jihadists, then this book is "Ref A."

In my personal view, the author is a bit over the top in trying to link Iraq to bin Laden. This reminds of the Claire Sterling-Ollie North school of "anything goes" as long as you believe it. Having said that (and so has Vaclav Havel, President of Czechoslovakia, who personally dismissed a lie consistently told by the Bush Administration about a meeting in Prague between a terrorist known by the FBI to have been in Florida at the time, and an Iraqi intelligence officer), I give the book very high marks in all other respects.

The Conclusion, appropriately Chapter 13, is titled "What Next." The book is worthy of purchase and recurring reference for this chapter alone. Especially troubling is the documentation of how many terrorists are moving around the world on legitimate passports from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Turkey, Kuwait, Algeria, Albania, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and other countries. The book adds confirmation to the many other references I have seen (many posted to OSS.Net news and reference section) regarding the active involvement of the Pakistani intelligence service in funding and training and facilitating travel for bin Laden personally, for his top lieutenants, and for terrorists in general.

The author's focus in the conclusion on the potential for Central Asia (all former khanates, all Muslim, all angry separatists from the Soviet Union) is especially interesting, as we see the beginnings of a "third front" there, with India-Pakistan being a fourth front, and South Asia a fifth front. Latin America and Africa are the sixth front. In brief, the author is one of those documenting the depth and scope of a global terrorism threat that the Bush Administration has unwisely chosen to attack with conventional military means, on six different fronts, none of which is sustainable in the medium or long term.

The author anticipated terrorist attacks against the UN and NATO when he discusses, on page 403, the Muslim declarations that include the UN and NATO in the fatwas against the USA, because the Muslim world "is being deceived by [these organizations], because they are hostile to Muslims and are responsible for all the massacres being perpetrated against Muslims in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Albania, and Kosovo." The UN in Iraq has been hit twice. I expect NATO in Afghanistan to be hit several times between now and the end of 2003, and I expect US special forces units to be massacred in detail in Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Bin Laden, dead or alive. Right. Bin Laden could not, in his wildest prayers to Allah, have imagined a better partner for fostering terrorism around the world than hip-shooting cowboy and unilateralist George W. Bush. Bin Laden created a global system of terrorism, the fire if you will, and George W. Bush and his neo-conservatives are blindly pouring $250 billion worth of tax-payer funded gasoline on that fire.

The author has recently been the recipient of the Golden Candle Award from the international open source intelligence committee. His citation reads:

"For his global multi-lingual open source investigations into terrorism, and his extraordinary professional achievement in writing and publishing "BIN LADEN: The Man Who Declared War on America", years before the 9-11 World Trade Center demonstration of what well-funded suicidal terrorism can achieve when intelligence and policy both fail to focus on the threat."

Whatever research or opinion flaws might be contained in this book, it is an essential reference in understanding both the dangers of terrorism, and the futility of the current US "strategy" for defeating terrorism by hammering and then abandoning Afghanistan and Iraq.

Rating:
Summary: Chock full of information
Review: This book contains everything you ever wanted to know and then some. It does tend to get bogged down in the details and to the Western reader following all the names and places can be a task.
Overall however it is a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Hard Work
Review: I found reading this book hard work, as I constantly had to cross check Bodansky's assertions with the public record and other analysts' reporting. I kept having to remind myself to take everything with a grain of salt, because very few people believe Bodansky's account of an over-arching Islamist conspiracy at the beck and call of Iran, Sudan and Pakistan. It's OK to have unusual theories, but you need to support them with facts. And Bodansky cites no sources for his assertions, because presumably its all from secret operatives within Al Qaeda, Hizb'Allah, Pasdaran, MOIS and ISI. This would make Bodansky more plugged in than George Tenet, because the CIA certainly doesn't think any of this is true. If Bodansky's right, then it is a scandal that U.S. government policy ignores the fact that Al Qaeda is just a small part of the multinational Islamist movement that operates at the direction of Iran, Sudan and Pakistan. If Bodansky's wrong (as I would suspect), then it is an embarrassment that a man who would write a book like this was the head of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare. It appears to be largely fiction.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Account of Islamist Terrorism and Bin Laden
Review: Had Bodansky written this book after the September 11th attacks, his accounts would have been dubbed as highly revealing. The fact that he wrote the entire book before gives this investigative work solid legitimacy. Bodansky unmasks trends in the Islamist world which are consistently missed by western journalists.

I wouldn't consider this book a biography on Bin Laden as much as I would consider it a biography on Islamist terrorism from the 1980's forward. The book culminates with Bin Laden being the unchallenged leader of the Islamist movement.

The book takes you through a recent history of the Arab world ('The Radicalization of an Engineer) and the effects it had on Gulf States. It shows the integral effect of Mujadeen victories in Afghanistan and how it laid the foundation for an international terrorist organization.

In many cases, readers get first-hand insights of how Middle East governments (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan) suppress and at times outright support terrorism.

As time passes, you see Bin Laden evolve from being a discontent Saudi to logistical planner to terrorist mastermind. I must confess, I didn't walk away thinking he was crazy but rather a deliberative leader. His strategic ability to form alliances with Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan/Pakistan and finally Iraq demonstrate why he was able to pull off attacks like 9/11.

This is not a 'Terrorism for Dummies' book--don't expect it to be a quick read. Its detail can be overwhelming at times and I found myself actually highlighting sections. Beware, Bodansky doesn't use terrorist jock terms like 'Al Qaeda' but rather documents the dozens of intertwined Islamist organizations. Extensive use of Arab names will confuse most readers (including myself).

This book serves to predict many ensuing events after it was written including the USS Cole attack, the rise of the Taliban, and 9/11. Bodansky continually refers to 'spectacular terrorist strikes' which Bin Laden and several other terrorists have been planning.

In short, I'm impressed with Bodansky's account. While I often viewed his television appearances post 9/11 as speculation run amuck, I now have a deep respect for his work and an understanding of the Islamist world.

Highly Recommended---this is the bible for modern day Islamist Terrorism.

Rating:
Summary: Very prophetic
Review: Reading this book after 11SEP01, one can easily see that Bodansky had forseen and warned us all about the attack on the towers two years previously. If only more folks had taken the threat seriously.

The book can be a hard read because of the detail and the numerous groups and people to follow but it is very thorough and enlightening. Bodansky also makes it clear why Bush made his axis of evil speech and that Iraq is indeed a supporter of terrorists.

Every American should read this book as well as Bodansky's latest 'The High Cost of Peace'.