Osama Bin Laden

Under the Veil of Discourse

Peter J. Munson — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:30:00 +0000

Under the Veil of Discourse

A critical analysis of statements by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri reveal a fragmented and weakened Al Qaeda disguising its internal incoherence and lack of appealing strategic and political aims.

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Book Review: Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taliban: Beyond Bin Laden and 9/11

Peter J. Munson — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:29:00 +0000

Book Review: Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taliban: Beyond Bin Laden and 9/11 Peter J. Munson Wed, 01/23/2013 - 3:29am

True to its name, Syed Saleem Shahzad’s Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taliban goes beyond the common misperception of Al-Qaeda as a static organization serving the whims of Osama Bin Laden.

Letters from Abbottabad: Bin Laden Sidelined?

Peter J. Munson — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:41:47 +0000

Letters from Abbottabad: Bin Laden Sidelined?

The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point released 17 declassified documents today gleaned from the trove taken out of Osama Bin Laden's Abbottabad lair. These are available online, along with analysis of their importance.

This report is a study of 17 de-classified documents captured during the Abbottabad raid and released to the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC). They consist of electronic letters or draft letters, totaling 175 pages in the original Arabic and 197 pages in the English translation. The earliest is dated September 2006 and the latest April 2011. These internal al-Qa`ida communications were authored by several leaders, most prominently Usama bin Ladin. In contrast to his public statements that focused on the injustice of those he believed to be the “enemies” of Muslims, namely corrupt “apostate” Muslim rulers and their Western “overseers,” the focus of Bin Ladin’s private letters is Muslims’ suffering at the hands of his jihadi “brothers”. He is at pain advising them to abort domestic attacks that cause Muslim civilian casualties and focus on the United States, “our desired goal.” Bin Ladin’s frustration with regional jihadi groups and his seeming inability to exercise control over their actions and public statements is the most compelling story to be told on the basis of the 17 de-classified documents. “Letters from Abbottabad” is an initial exploration and contextualization of 17 documents that will be the grist for future academic debate and discussion.

Peter J. Munson Thu, 05/03/2012 - 2:41pm