Messages to the World, The Statements of Osama Bin Laden
Edited and Introduced by Bruce Lawrence
Translated by James Howarth
Verso, 2005
"The sons of Israel have done the same thing to our sons in Palestine. The whole world has witnessed Israeli soldiers killing Muhammad al-Durreh and many others like him." ... Footnote: "On September 30, 2000, a French cameraman caught on film Israeli security forces shooting and killing 12-year-old Muhammad al-Durreh in Gaza. An Israeli inquiry into the incident found no fault with their security forces, despite the testimony of the cameraman and the video showing the event, for which see"
www.ramallahonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8
COMMENT: 24 "messages" (interviews, fatawa, communiqués, etc.), 275 pages. General theme of the book is anti-Americanism and anti-imperialism. POV is careful to distance itself (a little) from OBL saying that he "exaggerates", but eager to agree with him that his killing is payback for Western imperialist aggression. Lawrence is a little condescending, almost a little protective of OBL. He presents Bin Laden as righteous but misguided. He's a terrorist it's true, but using terrorism in self-defense against the "much greater terror exercised by the West over an incomparably longer period of time." Terrorism is subjective, not always bad.
Bin Laden's victims number perhaps 5000 - about half as many as the number of civilians said to have died under American bombs in Afghanistan. As he never ceases to point out, the West has killed far larger numbers in the region within living memory. The liberal use of poison gas and aerial strafing of Iraqi villages by Winston Churchill in the 1920s, the crushing of the Palestinian uprising of the 1930s, France's colonial war in Algeria in the 1950s and 1960s, have been followed now by deaths through malnutrition and disease inflicted on the children of Iraq in the 1990s, due to UN sanctions. Bin Laden ... exaggerates [the number of deaths] ... yet he is correct about the staggering disproportion in the numbers of those killed on both sides. `Because you have killed,` he warns Westerners, `we must kill. Your innocents are not less innocent than ours. ... the indifference of Western leaders to the atrocities committed against Muslims helps explain why, despite widespread revulsion at his use of terror, he continues to be so admired and even trusted by ordinary people in the Middle East." (Pew Poll sited) (p.xix, Messages, 2006, )Ya, that "widespread revulsion". See the film Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West, and all the smiling faces and honking horns after 9/11.
everything he has written falls within the framework of a reaction against aggression, for which he has strong scriptural support. Islamic jurisprudence distinguishes between offensive war (harb), a campaign of conquest launched under official leadership against the land of the impious, and defensive struggle (jihad), to be waged as a matter of individual obligation by all Muslims when the umma has come under attack. (p.xx, Messages, 2006)Author then quotes a "level-headed" sociologist who happens to have the same publisher as Lawrence
bin Laden is a rational man. There is a simple reason why he attacked the US: American imperialism. As long as America seeks to control the Middle East, he and people like him will be its enemy. [Michael Mann, Incoherent Empire, Verso, 2003, p.169]
Lawrence's idea of injustice. In defending bin Laden's idea that his terror is self-defense against "much greater terror exercised by the West over an incomparably longer period of time." (p.xviii) Lawrence says:
Is this an exaggerated description of the unbalanced relationship between the West and the Muslim world? There are no Arab military bases in Texas or California, no Arab contract mercenaries stationed in Britain or France, no Arab fleets in the Gulf of Mexico, no Arab-sponsored schemes of forcible settlement in the Mid-West. All the lines of intrusion and violence historically run in one direction. (p.xix, Messages, 2006)
Lawrence ends his introduction with a lefty critique, showing how bin Laden is in error. "The word `imperialism` does not occur once in any of the messages he has sent out."
One of the striking features, displayed throughout the texts in his book is the absence of any social dimension. Bin Laden was barred from the kind of analysis that would have allowed him to distinguish the different structural features of the various Muslim societies ... He does denounce a host of evils. Some of them -- unemployment, inflation, and corruption -- are social. But no alternative conception of the ideal society is ever offered. There is an almost complete lack of any social program.
Why he says "social" rather than "political, economic and social" ... who knows. And he ought at least deal with the Salafi answer -- i.e. that their "conception of the ideal society" is Shariah law.
Lawrence's footnotes support charges of U.S. war crimes, seldom point out any embarrassing inconsistencies in OBL's line.
COMMENT: Funny thing is, just today I read three reviews of Messages -- in NYT, London Observer and by Khalid Abou al Fadl in Boston Review -- and all describe Lawrence's intro as excellent!
"The young bin Laden attended the Management and Economic School at King Abd al-Aziz University in Jeddah. Though he was an indifferent business student, he took courses in Islamic studies taught by Adallah Azzam and Muhammad Qutb that seem to have influenced him deeply. ... Muhammad Qutb was the younger brother of Sayyid Qutb, the Egyptian thinker who became the most powerful voice of radical Islamic protest against both Arab nationalism and Western hegemony in the time of Nasser, and who was executed in 1966. Bin Laden dates his own political awakening from 1973, when an American airlift ensured Israeli victory over Egypt and Syria in the Yom Kippur War ... (p.xii, Messages, 2006)
Michael Scheuer from Imperial Hubris (p.104, 114, 168 or 103):
There is no reason, based on the information at hand, to believe bin Laden is anything other than what he appears: a pious, charismatic, gentle, generous, talented, and personally courageous Muslim. As a historical figure, viewed from any angle, Osama bin Laden is a great man, one who smashed the expected unfolding of universal post-cold war peace. [p.xvii, Messages, 2006]
In his August 25, 2002 letter scanned and posted on islamonline.net, OBL signs his name "Abi Aballah, Abdallah being his eldest son. "He has fathered at least 24 children." (p.159, Messages, 2006)
OBL's "first public pronouncement intended for a wider audience" was to bin Baz was issued Dec. 29, 1994 "through the Advice and Reform Committee (ARC)" that bin Laden had set up in London in summer of 1994. Bin Laden had been stripped of this Saudi citizenship in Spring 1994. "The specific object of bin Laden's protest ... is bin Baz's endorsement of the Oslo accords of August 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) -- `your latest astonishing juridical decree`
The tone is disingenuous -- simultaneously polite and respectful ("Honorable Sheikh, you have reached a good age, and you have achieved much in the service of Islam ..." (p.12)), though also lecturing and condescending ("... so fear God and distance yourself from these tyrants and oppressors" (p.12)); while alleging his dishonoring of the umma, which if true would make it unlikely that the author actually thinks the Sheikh is "honorable"
When the forces of the aggressive Crusader-Jewish alliance decided during the Gulf War - in connivance with the regime - to occupy the country in the name of liberating Kuwait, you justified this with an arbitrary juridical decree excusing this terrible act, which insulted the pride of our umma and sullied its honor, as well as polluting its holy places." (p.7, Messages, 2006)
Obviously giving the impression OBL is not saying what's on his mind but making an appeal to Saudis with a residual respect for ibn Baz but upset with bin Baz's fatawa allowing non-Muslim troops in Saudi.
Note that bin Laden has already burned his bridges with Al Saud ("connivance with the regime") at this point (not really that early of course) and formed his idea about the "aggressive Crusader-Jewish alliance"
Note the less-than-honest, hot button exaggerations "occupy the country" "polluting its holy places." How could Mecca and Medina be polluted when U.S. non-Muslim troops weren't within hundreds of miles of them? How could they be "occupying" when they were not near major cities or in contact with the vast majority of the Saudi population? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WERE WHERE US Troops IN SAUDI? CHECK BOOKS ON GULF WAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A couple years later in an interview, bin Laden tells what he really thinks of bin Baz. The Saudi government
promoted some of the scholars who were far below Sheikh bin Hamid, may God bless his soul; in a cunning plan which began more than 20 years ago, they foregrounded those known to be weak and soft. During this time, the regime enlarge the role of bin Baz because of what it knows of his weakness and flexibility, and because he was easily influence by that usual practice of the interior ministry: providing him with false information. So a generation of youth was raised believing that the most pious and knowledgeable of people is bin Baz, as a result of his promotion in the media through a concerted policy, a promotion which had progressed over 20 years. (p.35, Messages, 2006, source: interview with Nida'ul Islam, "The New Powder Keg in the Middle East," October/November 1996, n.15)
"The Nation of Martyrdom; the Nation that desires death more than you desire life." (p.172, Messages, 2006) [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
It can't be said that bin Laden never uses jihad to refer to non-physical jihad. He talks about "jihad with word."
This is injustice [i.e. the bombing of Iraq and Afghanistan]. The time has come to settle accounts. Just as you kill, so you shall be killed ...there will be more to come.but the context of the call is not jihad to be a better person, more pious, and all that, but using words in support of jihad by fighting.With God's will, the Islamic umma has started to strike back with its own sons, who have given their pledge to God that they will continue the jihad with word and deed so long as they have eyes to see or blood in their veins in order to establish truth and eradicate falsehood.[p.175, Messages, 2006, "To the Allies of America." An audiotape delivered to al-Jazeera (dated November 12, 2002). "designed as a commentary" on the Bali bombings and 5 other jihadi attacks.
The believer who cannot wage jihad with his hand or his tongue, must do so with his heart, which entails continuing to hate the enemies of God and calling for jihad against them ... [p.202, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
In any case fighting jihad is "the pinnacle of religion" and how "can religion survive without its apex?"
Caliph Umar told Abu-Ubaydah: `We are a people whom God made powerful through Islam, and if we seek strength from other sources God will humiliate us.` Therefore the advocates of reform should know that reforming and uniting the nation under Islam cannot be achieved through lectures and books only, but through a practical plan involving the entire nation, .... beginning with prayer to God and ending with fighting in the cause of God, for fighting in the cause of God is an indivisible part of our religion. In fact, it is the pinnacle of religion. So, how can religion survive without its apex? [p.230, Messages, 2006, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
"Since telling the truth and differentiating between right and falsehood are part of the teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophet's hadith, in order that people would not confuse falsehood and truth and thus stray from the right path, God said: `Do no mix truth with falsehood, or hide the truth when you know it.` [Q2:42] [p.216, Messages, 2006, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
Preach it, hypocrite! (Compare with 9/11 denials.)
"22nd Jumada Al-Thani or Aylul" i.e. 9/11, is just a response to "the continuous injustice inflicted upon our sons in Palestine, Iraq, Somali, southern Sudan and other places like Kashmir. The matter concerns the entire umma. People need to wake up from their sleep and try to find a solution to this catastrophe that is threatening all of humanity?" (p.149, Messages, 2006, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
"The White House misrepresent[s] the truth, [their ] idiotic leader claims that we despise their way of life - although the truth that the Pharaoh of the age is hiding is that we strike them because of their injustice towards us in the Islamic world, especially in Palestine and Iraq ..." (p.193, Messages, 2006)[from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
"We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honor, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling, and usury. [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
After declaring "The onus is on Americans to prevent Muslims from being killed at the hands of their government." He is asked by the Pakistani interviewer if he is "not against the American people, only against their government?"
"Yes, We are following our Prophet's mission. That mission is spreading the message of God, not killing people. We ourselves are the victims of murder and massacres. We are only defending ourselves against the United States. This is a defensive jihad to protect our land and people. That's why I have said that if we don't have security, neither will the Americans. It's a very simple equation that any American child could understand: live and let others live." (p.141, Messages, 2006, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.)
Bin Laden's first call for Jihad against the U.S. was in a fatwa issued August 23, 1996 "authorizing defensive war (jihad) against the Americans for their continued presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." (p.24, Messages, 2006)(COMMENT: Lawrence's shtick is to insist jihad is defensive war) A couple months later he was interviewed by CNN reporter Peter Arnett, whom he met near Jalabad in March 1997. Who asked him "What about US civilians in Arabia or the people of the United States?" bin Laden says in part:
As for what you asked, whether jihad is directed against US soldiers, the civilians in Saudi Arabia, or against the civilians in America, we have focused our declaration on striking at soldiers in Saudi Arabia. ... In our religion, it is not permissible for any non-Muslim to stay in our country. Therefore, even though American civilians are not targeted in our plan, they must leave. We do not guarantee their safety, ... a reaction might take place as a result of the US government's targeting of Muslim civilians and executing more than 600,000 Muslim children in Iraq by preventing food and medicine from reaching them.(from bin Laden's most comprehensive interview with a Western journalist, the CNN reporter Peter Arnett, whom he met near Jalabad in March 1997. Questions were submitted in advance. no queries about bin Laden's personal life or finances allowed. from transcript from CNN)
... As for what you asked regarding the American people, they are not exonerated from responsibility, because they chose this government and voted for it despite their knowledge of its crimes in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and in other places ..." (p.47, Messages, 2006)
"... we make a different distinction in our faith than the infidels call for in theirs. They preach one thing and do another; we differentiate between men and women, and between children and old people. Men are fighters; whether they carry arms or merely help our struggle by paying taxes, they are fighters. The infidels tell Muslims that bin Laden is threatening to kill civilians -- yet what are they doing in Palestine? They're not only killing innocents, but children as well!" (p.70, Messages, 2006) [Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
"The scholars and people of the knowledge, amongst them Sahib al-Ikhtiyarat [ibn Taymiyya] and Qayyim, and Shawaani, and many others, and ibn al-Qautubi [a student and disciple of ibn Taymiyya] -- may God bless him -- in his Qur'an commentary, say that if the disbelievers were to kill our children and women, then we should not feel ashamed to do the same to them, mainly to deter them from trying to kill our children and women again. And that is from a religious perspective, and those who speak without any knowledge of Islamic law, saying that killing a child is not valid and whatnot, and in the full knowledge that those young men, for whom God has cleared the way, didn't set out to kill children, but rather attacked the biggest center of military power in the world, the Pentagon ..." (p.119, Messages, 2006, October 21, 2001 interview with Taysir Alluni of Al Jazeera)
Q: "... many people among them hundreds of Muslims, were killed in [the 9/11 attacks."
A: "Islamic law says that Muslim should not stay long in the land of infidels. The targets of September 11 were not women and children. The main targets were the symbol of the United States: their economic and military power. ..." (p.140, Messages, 2006, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.)
COMMENT: People just got in the way! If you're not the target then it's OK if you're killed. Hence the importance of claiming that the kuffar enemy is targeting Muslims.
There is a lesson in what is happening in occupied Palestine, and what happened on September 11 and March 11 are your goods returned to you ....Our actions are but a reaction to yours - your destruction and murder of our people, whether in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Palestine. Look for example, at the event that terrorized the world, the murder of the wheel-chair-bound Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, God have mercy on his soul. We give God our pledge that we will take revenge on America for his death, with God’s will [p.234, Messages, 2006, "To the Peoples of Europe," a video statement broadcast on Al Jazeera, one month after Madrid bombing, April 15, 2004
COMMENT: But OBL doesn't claim that Spain had anything to do with the targeted killing of Yassin (who wheel chair or not, preached and instigated terror bombing and told interviewers he "longed for death") Could this be a case of the famous saying "Unbelief is all one country" (al-kufru millatun wahida) [The Arab Mind by Raphael Patai Scribner and Sons, 1973, 1976 , p.205]?
Much as he hates the Saudi government, he hates the U.S. far more. OBL sees the Saudi regime as a victim of the U.S.
There are several choices for the regime. The first of these is reconciliation with all the different sections of the public, by releasing the honest scholars [who they have imprisoned], and offering essential changes, the most important of which is to bring back Islamic law, and to practice real consultative government. The regime may resort to this option after finding itself in the position of being a morsel of food for the Americans to consume ... " (p.38) (interview with Nida'ul Islam, "The New Powder Keg in the Middle East," October/November 1996, n.15)I don't recognize the Saudi government as Islamic." [p.143, Messages, 2006, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.]
But later statements make it sound doubtful that this would be enough to satisfy bin Laden. He accuses (or rather he acknowledges) the al Saud family of being installed by the British.
Who was it that installed the rulers of the Gulf State? It was the Crusaders, the same people who installed the Karzai of Pakistan, who installed the Karzai of Kuwait, the Karzai of Bahrain, Qatar and others. Who was it that installed the Karzai of Riyadh and brought him in even though he had been a refugee from Kuwait a century earlier, to fight on their side against the Ottoman state and its governor ibn Rashid? It was the Crusaders, and they are still holding us prisoner today. There is no difference between the Karzai of Riyadh and the Karzai of Kabul [p.197, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights."]
Fair enough Karzai was installed by the U.S., but didn't then the Afghans have elections and a chance to boot him out?
Also: The heartless Saudi government refuses to give money to the families of Pales who have blown up Israelis.
Thanks to God, some kindhearted people from Saudi Arabia and other countries were sending alms to the families of those widows and orphans to ease their suffering and distress. Unfortunately, the conceited, arrogant prince, Abdallah bin Abd-al-Aziz, ordered that these well-doers be prevented from sending money to these families so that the martyrdom operations would stop. [footnotes: "In July 2003, Crown prince Abdullah of Saudi ... announced the establishment of a Financial Intelligence Unit to oversee and account for charitable funding."
COMMENT: First it's "widows and orphans" he's concerned about. Then it's families of "martyrdom operations." It's not just the love of killing and being killed, it's the cutting corners, the telling of what Mark Twain called "stretchers" in support of killing and being killed, that makes OBL so loathsome.
Finally its full blown war of words with Saudi accusing them of being kharijites.
Your father, Abd al-Aziz[ibn Saud]. He is the one who came out and helped the English against the Ottoman state and their deputy, ibn Rashid at Ha' il. You yourselves came out with force of arms against your brother King Saud, and you would have massacred each other had it not been for God Almighty. Your scholars did not call you and your father Kharijites, and if we open the file on the horrifying massacre of Taif [most of the male inhabitants of Taif were massacred by ibn Saud's forces Sept. 1924] we learn who it was that declared everyone else infidels. That was the massacre in which your father deceived his own soldiers, telling them that the people of the Hijaz were infidels and that killing them was jihad for the sake of God. [p.263, Messages, 2006]Hmmm. Note nothing about the massacre of Shia at Karabala for being “kuffar”. Why might that be?
Along with all the other stuff OBL rails against he thinks the council of ulema is unIslamic.
Is there any Muslim alive who is unaware that it is forbidden to help the infidels against a Muslim, or to make usury legal? This is well known to be part of the religion, just as knowledge of the prohibition of wine or adultery is well known. Is anyone unaware of this, or of the fact that you want to make a priesthood in Islam! For you are making a council of elder scholars [council of ulema] of the sultan like some Christians do. [p.263, Messages, 2006]
`Fight the Jews and Christians, take their son's graves as places of worship - there can be no two religions on Arab land` [from ibn Malik book 45, n.45.5.17] and `I am banishing the Jews and Christians from the Arabian peninsula so that I preach only to Muslims. [from ibn Malik book 19, n.4366]"
Corruption:
"All we need to do to clean up this issue is to point to the huge arms deal, or what you might call the huge theft -- for they amount to the same thing -- which is known as the al-Yamama contract [with the UK, Feb. 9, 1986] which comes to more than $30 billion - this was a humiliation five years before the Gulf War. But when the war actually stared there was no positive effect from this deal to be seen, nor from any of the hundreds of other deals that have been made." i.e. the Saudi's still needed and had to pay the Coalition to defend itself from Iraq. (p.265, Messages, 2006)
from: "Depose all Tyrants," ("Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004
The 1979 takeover puts OBL in a bit of a quandary. The rebels wanted to overthrow the government, so naturally that would make him sympathetic to them. OTOH, their leader claimed to be the Mahdi, which he manifestly could not have been because the KSA government successfully killed him. What to do? Complain about unnecessarily violence, which was sacrilegious. This clashes with the facts as we know them but why wreck a good rumor-based attack on the al-Saud!
Who are the ones with the corrupt and erroneous ideas? Is it those who allowed the land of the Haram to be occupied and who kill Muslims in the holy city of Mecca? Is it Khaled al-Mihdar and Nawaf al-Hazimi and his brother Salem, who came from Mecca to strike America right on its own territory, in defense of Islam in and around Mecca.Is it Fahd bin Abl al-Aziz, who has defiled the honor of the Haram? He could have solved this crisis without a shot being fired, as all sensible people agreed at the time. What the situation needed was some time, especially since those present inside the Haram were only a few dozen. They had only light weapons, mostly hunting rifles, they had few provisions and they were surrounded, but the enemy of God, Fahd, did what not even al-Hajjaj presumed to do: he stubbornly fought with them and put bulldozers and armored cars inside the Haram. I still remember the bulldozer's tracks on the paving stones of the Haram. There is no strength or power save in God. People still remember the minarets covered in black after they had been pounded by tanks ... The scholars and preacher of the Haram knew about these thing but did not say a world about the illegality of shedding Muslim book in the land of the Haram, because the people who had been attacked there were only the poor and defenseless.[(p.266, Messages, 2006, "Depose all Tyrants," ("Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004
COMMENT: Hmmm. Something's wrong here. Why would the government go to all that trouble against a few dozen people with hunting rifles who could have been starved out? Why piss off the masses of Muslims by violating traditional law unnecessarily? Could it possibly be OBL knows how to inflame the ignorant pious with a good lie?
The Mosque was seized Nov. 20, 1979. Five days later clergy lifted the ban on use of weapons in the mosque. At least 2000 National Guard, army and police troops moved on the mosque, under direction of French military strategists flown in specially to help plot the counterattack. .
Nine more days later, after "fighting room to room among the 270 vaults and chamber beneath the mosque," rebellion was quelled.
Officially "255 pilgrims, troops and fanatics were killed in the battles, another 560 injured. . . . although diplomats suggested the toll was higher." Military casualties: 127 dead and 451 injured.
(Sacred Rage : The Wrath of Militant Islam by Robin Wright, p.148) .
"Afghanistan is the only Islamic country [in the world]." (p.143, Messages, 2006, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.)
Mullah Muhammad Omar "is the greatest, the most honest and the happiest Muslim at this time, for he doesn't fear anyone except God." (p.144, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.)
"In Pakistan they use English laws, and I don't recognize the Saudi government as Islamic." (p.143, Messages, 2006, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.)
"... Today this is what the mujahidinsay to the scholars and preachers of Islam, and you know that it is in truth the religion of God's messenger. Your doing so means opposition to all Arab and non-Arab governments on earth; it means that you best men will be killed and that you will constantly be at war." [p.201, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights."]
As early as Dec. 1994 in his first major public statement bin Laden paints a dire picture of the Jews. "The current Jewish enemy is not an enemy settled in his own original country fighting in its defense until he gains a peace agreement, but an attacking enemy and a corrupter of religion and the world, for who the words of the Sheikh of Islam ibn Taymiyya apply (p.9, Messages, 2006):
There is no greater duty after faith then the unconditionally fighting the attacking enemy who corrupts religion and the world. He must be resisted as hard as possible, as stipulated by our companions the scholars and others
More on World Jewish evil
These Jews are masters of usury and leaders in treachery. They will leave you nothing, either in this world or the next. Of them God said: `Do they have any share of what He possesses? If they did they would not give away so much as the groove of the date stone.` [Q4:53] These Jews believe as part of their religion that people are their slaves, and whoever denies their religion deserves to be killed. Of them God said: `[That is] because they say "We are under not obligation toward the gentiles" - they tell a lie against God and they know it.` [Q3:75]These are some of the characteristics of the Jews, so beware of them. These, too, are some of the features of the Crusader plan, so resist it. [p.190, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights."]
Jewish control of the U.S.
America claims that it is bringing Iraq to account and to justice, but the fact is that the Israeli authority and the Jewish authority, which has become powerful inside the White House, as everyone can see - the Defense Minister is Jewish, the Secretary of State is Jewish, the CIA and National Security officials are Jewish, all the biggest officials are Jews -- led the Christians to clip the wings of the Islamic world. [Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks, p.67, Messages, 2006.]
| Is bin Laden right that the US President's cabinet was made up of Jews in 1998? |
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Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger - National Security Council Jewish Madeleine Albright - Secretary of State Was raised Roman Catholic and did not know until she was secretary of state that her Czech family was originally Jewish. from "Madeleine K. Albright," in Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 3. Gale Research, 1998. (An in-depth profile of the individual's life and achievements.) On Biography Resource Center database by Galegroup.com ".... It was not until President Clinton nominated her for the job of Secretary of State, however, that Albright gained a fuller understanding of her background. While doing research for a piece in the Washington Post Sunday magazine, reporter Michael Dobbs learned from Albright's cousin in Czechoslovakia that the Korbels were actually of Jewish origin. They had chosen to raise their children in the Roman Catholic faith, perhaps for career reasons on Josef's part or to shield the family from anti-Semitism as Nazi Germany made in-roads across the continent. Dobbs also learned that three of Albright's grandparents and more than a dozen other relatives had been victims of the Holocaust. These revelations surprised Albright, who recalled that her parents had simply told her that some family members had died "during the war"--an explanation she did not think of challenging then and refuses to criticize now. As she remarked in a Newsweek interview: "My parents did everything in their power to make a good life for their children. They were very protective of us.... What they gave us children was the gift of life, literally. Twice, once by giving us birth and the other by bringing us to America to escape what, clearly now, would have been a certain death. So I am not going to question their motives.... I have been and am very proud to be an American.... I have been proud of the heritage that I have known about and I will be equally proud of the heritage that I have just been given." William S. Cohen - Secretary of Defense Protestant A Jewish name but is Christian. Father was a Russian Jew. Cohen took Jewish religious education classes but ultimately became a protestant Christian like his Irish Protestant mother. from: "William Sebastian Cohen," in Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Vol. 18. Gale Research, 1998. (An in-depth profile of the individual's life and career.) on Biography Resource Center database by Galegroup.com "... Cohen was born in Bangor, Maine, to an ethnically and religiously mixed set of parents. His father was a Russian-Jewish immigrant, while his mother was of Irish Protestant extraction. At his father's wish he was raised Jewish, attending Hebrew school and preparing for the Bar Mitzvah examination. When he was told that he would have to undergo a conversion ceremony, however, he decided not to follow through with the Bar Mitzvah. Instead, he followed his mother's example in refusing to convert to Judaism and became a Christian. ..." George John Tenet - CIA Director Greek Orthodox "George J. Tenet," in Biography Resource Center Online. Gale Group, 1999. (An in-depth profile of the individual's life and noteworthy experiences.) on Biography Resource Center database by Galegroup.com "... George John Tenet was born in Flushing, New York, on January 5, 1953. Tenet and his twin brother both attended public school in the middle-class Queens neighborhood. Tenet's parents, John and Evangelia Tenet, were parishioners at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, where George and his brother attended religious classes and served as altar boys. Janet Reno - Attorney General No religious affiliation I could find. is of Danish immigrant family know for outdoors lifestyle but no religious affiliation mentioned. Robert E. Rubin - Secretary of Treasury Jewish |
No non-compulsion-in-religion verse for OBL
Praise be God, revealer of the Book, controller of the clouds, defeater of factionalism, who says in His Book:When the forbidden months are over, where ever you find the polytheists, kill them, seize them, besiege them, ambush them [9:5]... Prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad bin Abdallah who said:
I have been sent with a sword in my hands so that only God my be worshipped, God who placed my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who condemns those who disobey my orders to servility and humiliation. [hadith collection of Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol.5, book 3, n.5409][p.187, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
Good Muslims should hate not just Jews and Americans, but Christians in general.
"Every Muslim, from the moment they realize the distinction in their hearts, hates American, hates Jews, and hates Christians. This is a part of our belief and our religion. For as long as I can remember, I have felt tormented and at war, and have felt hatred and animosity for Americans." (p.87) [Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
Good Muslims should not befriend non-Muslims
... I urge my Muslim brothers to read the Qur'an and to read the exegesis of these verses. God's book contains many warnings about befriending the infidels. They should read the exegesis of ibn Kathir, and the short exegesis of ibn Kathir Sheikh Muhammad Nasim al-Rif'ai. I say that the world has agreed to devour the Islamic world. The Crusader world has agreed to devour us, and nations have rallied together against us. And all we have left to cope with them besides God Almighty, is the young men who have not been weighed down by the filth of the world. [p.93, Messages, 2006, Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
In urging on Iraqi terrorists/insurgents, bin Laden says
Muslims, people of Rai'a and Mudirr, and Kurds: raise your banner may God raise you up high. ... [p.210, Messages, 2006]But who was Rai'a? A famous Muslim, the footnote tells us
"Rabi'a al-Adawiyya (717-801) from Basra in modern-day Iraq, first set forth the doctrine of mystical love and is considered the most important of the early Sufi poets. [p.210, Messages, 2006, "Quagmires of the Tigris and Euphrates," October 19, 2003, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)]But Wahhabis do not consider Sufi real Muslims. Nowhere in this book of tracts does bin Laden denounce Sufis, but in other ways he keeps to the extreme Wahhabi line: "Every Muslim, from the moment they realise the distinction in their hearts, .... hates Christians" (p.87, Messages, 2006) So is OBL buttering up Iraqis by praising historical figures he doesn't really consider Muslims?
"As the Prophet said, according to al-Bukhari: `Banish the polytheists from the Arabian peninsula [from al-Bukhari v.4, book 52, n.288] and `There can be no two religions in the Arabian peninsula.` [from ibn Malik, book 45, n.45.5.18] He also said: `Fight the Jews and Christians, take their son's graves as places of worship - there can be no two religions on Arab land` [from ibn Malik book 45, n.45.5.17] and `I am banishing the Jews and Christians from the Arabian peninsula so that I preach only to Muslims. [from ibn Malik book 19, n.4366]"
from: "Depose all Tyrants," ("Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004 -- OBL defends his good name against Saudi government charges of takfiri
"This is a people whose votes are won when innocents dies, whose leader commits adultery and great sins and then sees his popularity rise -- a vile people who have never understood the meaning of values." (p.70) [Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
"... the regime is accusing the Americans of exceding their authority by taking advantage of it, forcing it to enter into military and civil contracts which are beyond its means, which has led to a a major economic recession that has hit people hard. In addition to this are the Americans' crude and arrogant behavior towards the Saudi army and their general behavior with citizens, as well as the privleges which the Americans enjoy, distinct from the Saudi forces. [p.37, Messages, 2006, Messages, 2005, source: interview with Nida'ul Islam, "The New Powder Keg in the Middle East," October/November 1996, n.15)
US civilians must leave "... A reaction might take place as a result of the US government's targeting of Muslim civilians and executing more than 600,000 Muslim children in Iraq by preventing food and medicine from reaching them. " (p.47, Messages, 2006)(from bin Laden's most comprehensive interview with a Western journalist, the CNN reporter Peter Arnett, whom he met near Jalabad in March 1997. Questions were submitted in advance. no queries about bin Laden's personal life or finances allowed. from transcript from CNN) also mentions p.51.
"the death of more than 600,000 children." (p.40, Messages, 2006 interview with Nida'ul Islam, "The New Powder Keg in the Middle East," October/November 1996, n.15)
"Until this point, a million innocent children have been killed in Iraq, although they had done nothing wrong." [p.104, Messages, 2006, from October 7, 2001 video delivered to al-Jazeera correspondent in Kabul]
More than 1,000,000 children died in Iraq, and they are still dying, so why do we not hear people that cry or protest ..." (p. 117, October 21, 2001 with Taysir Alluni of Al Jazeera)
"the deaths of more than one million children" (p.128, Messages, 2006, October 21, 2001 with Taysir Alluni of Al Jazeera)
You have starved the Muslims of Iraq, where children die every day. It is a wonder that more than 1.5 million Iraqi children have died as a result of your sanctions, and that you have not shown concern. (p.164, Messages, 2006) [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.] (Lawrence agrees also claiming "Between 1991 and 1999 an estimated 500,000 children died as a result of the UN-imposed economic sanctions on Iraq. See, inter alia, Mohamed M Ali, John Blacker and Gareth Jones "Annual morality rates and excess death of children under five in Iraq, 1991-98" Population Studies, 2003)
".... It seems then that `freedom` and democracy` are actually just terror, just as resistance is labeled `terrorism` and `reaction`. Imposing lethal sanctions on millions of people, as Bush Sr. did, and carrying out the mass butchering of children, is the worst thing that humanity has ever known. SO is dropping millions of pounds of bombs and explosives on millions of children in Iraq as Bush Junior did, to remove a former collaborator, and install a new one who will help steal Iraq's oil, as well as commit other atrocities. [footnotes about 1700 bombing sorties, 504 using cruise missile against Iraq. and the Lancet article "concluding that civilian death toll ... "might be as high as 100,000"] [p.240, Messages, 2006, from "Towers of Lebanon," October 29, 2004, a video tape made available in the autumn of 2004 to al-Jazeera by "the al-Sahab Institute for Media Production - by now the major conduit for al-Qaeda's video messages," "designed as an intervention in the US Presidential elections. ... crafted for its non-Muslim audience."]
".... America to kill more than a million children in just a few years in the greatest slaughter of children that mankind has known, your wicked embargo on Iraq?...
The Prophet ... said: `The end of the world is not as bad as the murder of a Muslim. ... so what about a million murdered children, each of them holding up his head and his hand and saying, `Oh, Lord, ask these men why they have killed us, the greatest massacre of children in the history of mankind.` This is a huge injustice and a great crime."
(p.266-7, Messages, 2006, from "Depose all Tyrants," "Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004
In regards to "treacherous, apostate, and powerless regimes" like Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia in providing "facilities for the US-led invasion of Iraq"...
The most significant danger in their view was the prospect that the door would be opened for armed forces from abroad to bring down dictatorial regimes, especially after they had seen the arrest of their former confederate in treason and collaboration with the United States, which ordered him to ignite the first Gulf war against Iran, which fought back.Footnotes follow about the US aid to Iraq and export of "pathogenic, toxigenic, and other biological research materials" to Iraq. (p.222, Messages, 2006, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
"the withholding of arms from the Muslims of Bosnia Herzegovina, leaving them prey to the Christian Serbians who massacred and raped in a manner not seen in contemporary history. " (p.40, Messages, 2006 interview with Nida'ul Islam, "The New Powder Keg in the Middle East," October/November 1996, n.15)
"The US does not consider it a terrorist act to launch atomic bombs at nations thousands of miles away, when it would not be possible for those bombs to hit only military troops. Rather, those bombs were dropped on entire nations, including women, children, and elderly people and up to this day the traces of those bombs remain in Japan." (p.51, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
"America is the country that owns this weapon, and it is the one that has bombed people in the Far East, in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, after Japan had surrendered and World War Two had begun to end." (p.67)[Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
"You dropped a nuclear bomb on Japan, even though Japan was ready to negotiate an end to the war." (p.168, Messages, 2006)("To the American," Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.) [Lawrence: "Several high ranking US military commanders, including Eisenhower and MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander in the Southwest Pacific, felt that there was no military justification for the bombing. In a 1946 report, the United States Strategic Bombing Survey noted that Japan would in all probability have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped."] (p.168, Messages, 2006)
"We find that it judges the behavior of the poor Palestinian children whose country was occupied: if they throw stones against the Israeli occupation it says they are terrorists, whereas when the Israeli pilot bombed the United Nations building in Qana, Lebanon, while it was full of children and women, the US stopped any plan to condemn Israel. (p.51, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
"As I speak, Israeli tanks and bulldozers are going in and wreaking havoc and sin in Palestine -- in Jenin, in Ramallah, in Rafa, in Beit Jala -- and other parts of the domain of Islam, and we do not hear anyone protesting or even lifting a finger to stop it." [p.104, Messages, 2006, from October 7, 2001 video delivered to al-Jazeera correspondent in Kabul]
"The sons of Israel have done the same thing to our sons in Palestine. The whole world has witnessed Israeli soldiers killing Muhammad al-Durreh and many others like him." ... Footnote: "On September 30, 2000, a French cameraman caught on film Israeli security forces shooting and killing 12-year-old Muhammad al-Durreh in Gaza. An Israeli inquiry into the incident found no fault with their security forces, despite the testimony of the cameraman and the video showing the event, for which see"
www.ramallahonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8
(p.147, Messages, 2006, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
"The creation and continuation of Israel is one of the greatest crimes, and you are the leaders of its criminals. And of course there is not need to explain and prove the degree of American support for Israel. The creation of Israel is a crime which must be erased. Each and every person whose hands have become polluted in the contribution towards this crime must pay its price, and pay for it heavily." (p.162, Messages, 2006)("To the American," Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.)
"A fabricated war erupted after the Jewish state was established one year after the [UN] resolution was passed to partition [Palestine]. Then the Arab rulers agreed to sign a temporary truce in response to the request of the United States, which asked them to sign a permanent truce after one year. [footnote: "The 1949 Armistice Agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria"] Thus, they almost buried Palestine and its people alive, but God protected them." (p.219, Messages, 2006, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
"steal our resources" (p.51, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
"You steal our wealth and oil at paltry prices because of your international influence and military threats. This theft is indeed the biggest theft ever witnessed by mankind in the history of the world." (p.163) ... If people steal our wealth, then we have the right to destroy their economy." (p.165, Messages, 2005 ) [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
"The occupation of Iraq is a link in the Zionist-Crusader chain of evil. Then comes the full occupation of the rest of the Gulf states to set the stage for controlling and dominating the whole world. For the big powers believe that the Gulf and the Gulf states are the key to controlling the world, due to the presence of the largest oil reserves there. (p.214, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
"They want the believers to desist from worshipping God so that they can enslave them, occupy their countries, and loot their wealth." (p.230, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
"Mujahidin, be patient and think of the hereafter ... be sure to know that there is a rare and golden opportunity today to make American bleed in Iraq, in economic, human, and psychological terms. So don't waste this opportunity and regret it afterwards. Remember too that the biggest reason for our enemies' control over our lands is to steal our oil, so give everything you can to stop the greatest theft of oil in history from the current and future generations in collusion with the agents and foreigners. They are taking this oil for a paltry price in the knowledge that the prices of all commodities have multiplied many times. But oil, which is the basis of all industry, has gone down in price many times. After it was going for $40 a barrel two decades ago, in the last decade it went for a little as $9, while its price today should be $100 at the very least. So keep on struggling, do not make it easy for them, and focus your operations on it, especially in Iraq and the Gulf, for that will be the death of them." (p.272, Messages, 2006, from "Depose all Tyrants," ("Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004.)
"... install a new [ruler-colaborator in Iraq] who help steal Iraq's oil ..." (p.240, from "Towers of Lebanon," October 29, 2004, a video tape made available in the autumn of 2004 to al-Jazeera )
The US "wants to occupy our countries, steal our resources, install collaborators to rule us with man-made laws, and want us to agree on all these issues." (p.51, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
"At the same time they condemn any Muslim who calls for his rights, they receive the highest official of the Irish Republican Army [Gerry Adams] at the White House as a political leader, ... (p.51, Messages, 2005, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
The US government went [to Somalia] with great pride and stayed there for some time with a strong media presence, wanting to frighten people [and show] that it is the greatest power on earth. It went there with pride and with over 28,000 soldiers, to fight a poor unarmed people. [Operation Restore Hope was an American military operation, conducted under the auspices of the UN, which in March 1993 officially took over administration of the country. In the battle of Mogadishu, in August 1993, between 500-1000 Somilian [sic] militia and civilians were killed, 18 US troops and one Malaysian solder died.] The goal of this was to scare the Muslim world and the whole world, saying that it is able to do whatever it desires. ... Resistance started against the American invasion, because Muslims do not believe the US allegations that they came to save the Somalis. A man with human feeling in his heart does not distinguish between a child killed in Palestine or in Lebanon, in Iraq or in Bosnia. So how can we believe your claims that you came to save our children in Somalia while you kill our children in all of these place?" (p.54, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
God has cleared the path for them through some of the mujahidin in Somalia. So America left, dragging behind it tails of humiliation, defeat and loss, without looking back; it retreated unexpectedly and it forgot all that great media enthusiasm about the New World Order (p.109)(October 21, 2001 with Taysir Alluni of Al Jazeera)
"On the pretext of reconstruction, 13,000 of our brothers were killed in Somali." (p.133, Messages, 2006, from Letter to al-Jazeera's Kabul Bureau Nov. 3, 2001, 10 days before the Northern Alliance entry.)
"You attacked us in Somalia" (p.163, Messages, 2006)[Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
"... after the Second Gulf War, America put her armies into Somalia and killed 13,000 Muslims there, and there is not strength or power save in God. But then the lions of Islam, the Afghan Arabs and their brothers leapt on them and rubbed their arrogance in the mud, killing many of them, destroying their tanks and downing their planes. SO America and her allies fled in the dark of night, without disturbing anyone, praise and glory be to God." [p.192, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
"We only killed American in New York after they supported the Jews in Palestine and invaded the Arabian peninsula, and we only killed them in Somalia after they invaded it in Operations Restore Hope. We restored them to hopelessness, thank God." [p.236, Messages, 2006, "To the People of Europe," a video statement broadcast on Al Jazeera, one month after Madrid bombing, April 15, 2004]
Regarding the invasion of Afghanistan and partition of East Timor "We ... see events not as isolated incidents, but as part of a long chain of conspiracies, a war of annihilation ... In southern Sudan hundreds of thousand were killed," (p.133, Messages, 2006, from Letter to al-Jazeera's Kabul Bureau Nov. 3, 2001, 10 days before the Northern Alliance entry.)
"Every day, from east to west, our umma of 1200 million Muslims is being slaughtered, in Palestine, in Iraq, Somalia, Western Sudan, Kashmir, the Philippines, Bosnia, Chechnya, and Assam." (p.153, Messages, 2006, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
If Sudan comments don't do it, this really exhibits bin Laden's evil:
Look at the position of the West and the United Nations with regard to events in Indonesia. They moved to partition the most populous nation in the Islamic world [cutting off less than one million from a population of 300,000,000]. That criminal Kofi Annan publicly put pressure on the Indonesian government, telling it that it had 24 hours to partition and separate East Timor from Indonesia, otherwise it would have to introduce military forces to do it. The Crusader armies of Australia were on the shores of Indonesia and they did in fact intervene and separate East Timor, which is part of the Islamic world. (p.137, Messages, 2006, from Letter to al-Jazeera's Kabul Bureau Nov. 3, 2001, 10 days before the Northern Alliance entry.)
"You supported the Russian atrocities against us in Chechnya" [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
"... the defeat of the Russians in Chechnya, where the mujahidin provided the most amazing examples of self-sacrifice and, with their Arab brothers and helpers, smashed the arrogance of the Russians and inflicted upon them defeat after defeat. The Russians withdrew in disarray after the first war, and then came back with American support."
[footnote: "Bin Laden is here referring to the ongoing Second Chechen War, over whether Chechnya should remain within the Russian Federation or become an independent nation. Major combat took place between 1999 and 2002, although sporadic fighting continues today. The estimated death toll varies from 11,000-50,000 Russian servicemen, and 20,000-100,000 civilians. Between 230,000-400,000 people have been displaced. Following 9/11, Russian President Vladimir Putin attracted more Western support for the war in Chechnya, portraying Chechen militants as Islamic terrorists. For stated US policy on Chechnya as of May 2002, see http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/2002/10034.htm."] (p.192, Messages, 2006) [from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
US allies in the Gulf do not have the will to make the difficult decision to confront [US] aggression, in addition to their belief that they do not possess the material resources for that. Indeed, they were prevented from establishing a large military force when they were forced to sign secret pledges and document long ago." (p.223, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
"After the collapse of the Soviet Union -- in which the US had no mentionable role, but rather the credit goes to God and the mujahidin in Afghanistan -- this collapse made the US more haughty and arrogant .." (p.50, Messages, 2006) (March 1997 interview with Peter Arnett)
"The American are lying when they claim they helped us at any point, and we challenge them to present a single shred of evidence to prove it. In fact, they were a burden on us and the mujahidin in Afghanistan, and there was no agreement between us."
So was there no common interest between the Afghan Arabs and U.S.? No. When the early Muslim fought on the side of the Persians against the Byzantines. "Fighting the Byzantines was a duty, but after their victories over the Byzantines, by the grace of God, they set about fighting the Persians. Unintended confluence of interest does not mean there is any kind of link or tacit agreement." (p.87, Messages, 2006) [Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
"History recounts that America supported everyone who waged jihad and fought against Russia, but when God blessed children in Palestine, America became angry and turned its back, betraying all those who had fought in Afghanistan." (p.147, Messages, 2006, from Interview published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi in London Nov. 12, 2001 (originally published in Pakistani daily, Ausaf Nov. 7), shortly before the Northern Alliance entry into Kabul.)
"The Americans bombed entire villages for no reason other than to terrify people and make them afraid of hosting Arabs or going near them, their minister of defense got up and said that that was their right, meaning effectively that they had the right to annihilate people so long as they were Muslim and not American. This is the clearest and most blatant crime. Everyone who hears them saying that they did such things by mistake knows that this is the clearest and most brazen lie." (p.151, Messages, 2006, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
COMMENT: So why don't they just bomb Mecca is their goal is to annihilate Muslims?
It has become clear to us during our defensive jihad against the American enemy and its enormous propaganda machine, that it depends for the most part of psychological warfare. It also depends on intense air strikes, which hide its most conspicuous weak points: fear, cowardice and lack of fighting spirit among its troops. These troops are utterly convinced of their government's tyranny and lies, and they know the cause they are defending is not just. They merely fight for capitalists, takers of usury, and arms and oil merchants, including the criminal gang in the White House. Add to that Bush Senior's personal grudges and Crusader hatred. (p.181, Messages, 2006)("To the People of Iraq," audio tape delivered to al-Jazeera, Feb.11, 2003)
Delusional.
... Fighting comes about through the big powers' need for survival. Just read history if you want - including the history of America, which has ignited dozens of wars throughout only six decades. This is because this was one of the its most pressing needs. When the United States makes a sincere decision to stop wars in the world, it knows before anyone else that that day will make the beginning of its collapse and disintegration of its states. This day is coming, God willing. So, beware of any call for laying down arms on the pretext of achieving peace. This is because this will be a call to humiliate us. Only a hypocrite or an ignorant person can promote such calls. [p.231, Messages, 2006, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
COMMENT: You expect him to follow "When the United States makes a sincere decision to stop wars in the world ... " with " .... then we will stop our attacks." But instead he says the U.S. will cease to exist, though he doesn't explain why. Also curious is that he precedes this by explaining that jihad is the "pinnacle of religion" i.e. Islam "How can religion survive without it apex?" So both Islam and America share a need for fighting to survive.
"American studies and analysis have mentioned that 70% of the American people are still suffering from depression and psychological trauma as a result of the incident of the two towers, and the attack on the Defense Ministry, the Pentagon. One of the well-known American hotel companies, Intercontinental, has fired 20,000 employees, thanks to God's grace. ... watch as the amount reaches no less than $1 trillion by the lowest estimate, due to these successful and blessed attacks. .... We implore God to Accept those brothers ... and to admit them to the highest levels of Paradise." (p.112, Messages, 2006, October 21, 2001 interview with Taysir Alluni of Al Jazeera)
It has become clear to us during our defensive jihad against the American enemy and its enormous propaganda machine, that it depends for the most part of psychological warfare. It also depends on intense air strikes, which hide its most conspicuous weak points: fear, cowardice and lack of fighting spirit among its troops. These troops are utterly convinced of their government's tyranny and lies, and they know the cause they are defending is not just. They merely fight for capitalists, takers of usury, and arms and oil merchants, including the criminal gang in the White House. Add to that Bush Senior's personal grudges and Crusader hatred. (p.181, Messages, 2006)("To the People of Iraq," audio tape delivered to al-Jazeera, Feb.11, 2003)
Delusional. Reflection of his ignorance. The idea of weakness comes from retreat from Somalia. But whether a retreat under fire is cowardice or not depends on why the US was there. If it was there to steal and kill that's one thing. If it was there as a humanitarian mission that's rather different.
I say like these noble men [Companion Abu Ubeid al-Thaqafi and his troops]: O you people, don't let America and its army frighten you, for by God we have struck them and defeated them time and again. They are the most cowardly people in battle. We have seen while fighting to defend ourselves against the American enemy that it depends mainly on psychological warfare, in light of the huge propaganda machine that it possesses, as well as on intense aerial bombardment, which hides it most conspicuous Achilles heel, namely cowardice, and lack of fighting spirit ... [p.191, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights."]
We can conclude that America is a superpower, with enormous military strength and vast economic power, but that all this is built on foundations of straw. So it is possible to target those foundations and focus on their weakest points which, even if you strike only 1/10 of them, then the whole edifice will totter and sway, and relinquish its unjust leadership of the world. ... (p.195, Messages, 2006, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights."]
Don't let their numbers frighten you, for their hearts are empty and they are falling into military and economic disarray, especially after the blessed day in New York, by the grace of God. (p.210, Messages, 2006, "Quagmires of the Tigris and Euphrates," October 19, 2003, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
With your help and under your protection, the Israelis are planning to destroy the al-Aqsa Mosque. Under the protection of your weapons, Sharon entered the al-Aqsa mosque to pollute it as a preparation to capture and destroy it. [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
The Bush-Blair axis claims that it wants to annihilate terrorism, but it is no longer a secret -- even to the masses -- that it really want to annihilate Islam. [from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
With the onset of the second Gulf War America has established seriously important military bases all over Saudi Arabia, and near the capital in particular. Their only remaining task was to divide the country up, and it seems as if the time for that has now arrived. ... The conclusion is that America's objective of general control over the region and of division of Saudi Arabia in particular, is no passing summer cloud but a strategic goal of America’s cunning policy that cannot be ignored. ....One of the most important objectives of this new Crusader campaign, after dividing up the region, is to prepare it for the establishment of what is called the state of Greater Israel, which would incorporate large parts of Iraq and Egypt within its borders, as well as Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, the whole of Palestine, and a large part of Saudi Arabia. ... What is happening to our people in Palestine is just a small example of what they want to repeat in the rest of the region courtesy of the Zionist-American alliance: murder of men, women, and children, incarceration, terrorism, destruction of houses, bulldozing of fields and razing of factories ... [from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
"The American people are the one who choose their government through their own free will; a choice which stems from their agreement to its policies. Thus the American people have chosen, consented to, and affirmed their support for Israel's oppression of the Palestinians, the occupation and usurpation of their land ...
The American people are the ones who pay the taxes which fund the planes that bomb us in Afghanistan, the tanks that strike and destroy our homes in Palestine, the armies which occupy our lands in the Arabian Gulf ....
the American army is part of the American people. ... the one who employ both their men and their women in the American Forces which attack us.
This is why the American people cannot be innocent of all the crimes committed by the Americans and Jews against us."
God, the Almighty, legislated the permission and the option to avenge this oppression. Thus, if we are attacked, then we have the right to do the same in return. If people steal our wealth, then we have right to destroy their economy. And whoever kills our civilians, then we have the right to kill theirs. (p.164)("To the American, [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
The White House misrepresent[s] the truth, [their ] idiotic leader claims that we despise their way of life - although the truth that the Pharaoh of the age is hiding is that we strike them because of their injustice towards us in the Islamic world, especially in Palestine and Iraq ..." (p.193)[from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
From "Towers of Lebanon," October 29, 2004, a video tape made available in the autumn of 2004 to al-Jazeera by "the al-Sahab Institute for Media Production - by now the major conduit for al-Qaeda's video messages," "designed as an intervention in the US Presidential elections. ... crafted for its non-Muslim audience."] Its effect on the election, if any, was the opposite of what OBL intended according to Kerry who claimed he lost ground in the polls following its release. (p.237)
"I speak to you today about the best way to avoid another Manhattan, about the war, its causes, and its consequences. First of all, I tell you that security is one of the pillars of human life. Free men do not underestimate the value of their security, despite Bush's claim that we hate freedom." [footnote: Sept. 18,2001 photocall with Pres. Chirac 'we have entered a new type of war. It's a war against people who hate freedom.`] Perhaps he can tell us why we did not attack Sweden, for example?" [p.238, "Towers of Lebanon" October 29, 2004, video tape made available in the autumn of 2004 to al-Jazeera by "the al-Sahab Institute for Media Production - by now the major conduit for al=Qaeda's video messages," "designed as an intervention in the US Presidential elections. ... crafted for its non-Muslim audience."]Bush is still practicing his deception, misleading you about the real reason behind it.[9/11]
Letter features "wide-ranging summary ... of political misdeeds of the U.S." and "a moral and cultural denunciation of American society" along with "a call to the American people to convert to Islam" which may actually be not directed to potential converts as to his Muslim critics of 9/11 who argued that al-Qaeda did not offer Americans an opportunity to convert to Islam before attacking them ... the exhaustive detail of the letter is bin Laden's proof to Muslims that he has explored every avenue to resolve this war by peaceful means" (p.160-1)
Threats:
The creation and continuation of Israel is one of the greatest crimes, and you are the leaders of its criminals. And of course there is not need to explain and prove the degree of American support for Israel. The creation of Israel is a crime which must be erased. Each and every person whose hands have become polluted in the contribution towards this crime must pay its price, and pay for it heavily." (p.162)("To the American, [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
Weird claims:
It brings us both laughter and tears to see that you have not yet tired of repeating your fabricated lies that the Jews have a historical right to Palestine, as it was promised to them in the Torah. (p.162)[Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
Huh? This is a Jewish fundamentalist claim, not a mainstream American one.
With your help and under your protection, the Israelis are planning to destroy the al-Aqsa Mosque. Under the protection of your weapons, Sharon entered the al-Aqsa mosque to pollute it as a preparation to capture and destroy it. [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
Because of all this [sexual freedom] you have been described in history as a nation that spreads diseases that were unknown to man in the past. Go ahead and boast to the nations of man that you brought them AIDS as a Satanic American Invention." [footnotes: "AIDS originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the 20th century. The estimated prevalence of HIV infection in North America is among the lowest in the world at between 0.3 and 0.6% of the population."]
And, for the first time, Islamist Demands Beyond "Self-Defense" that the US Change Its Way of Life:
What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?The first thing that we are calling to is Islam.
The Religion of the Unity of God ...
It is the religion of showing kindness to others, establishing justice between them ...The second thing we call you to is to stop your oppression, lies, immorality and debauchery that has spread among you.
We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honor, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling, and usury. [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
and ... Raw Hatred:
We call you to all of this in order than you may be freed from that which you have become caught up in; that you may be freed from the self-deception that you are a great nation, the self-deception your leaders spread amongst you to conceal from the despicable state that you have reached.
It is saddening to tell you that your are the worst civilization witnessed in the history of mankind:
You flee from the embarrassing question posed to you [i.e. why don't you use sharia law?]
... You are the nation that permits usury, which has been forbidden by all the religions ... as a result of this ... the Jews have taken control of your economy, through which they have then taken control of your media, and now control all aspect of your life making you their servants and achieving their aims at your expense; precisely what Benjamin Franklin warned you against [comment: "attributed to Frankilin in a `Chit Chat Around the Table During Intermission` at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 - long known to be a fabrication by an American Nazi sypathizer, Willaim Dudley Pelley, in 1934."]
... You are a nation that permits acts of immorality, and you consider these acts to be pillars of personal freedom. You have continued to sink down this abyss from level to level until incest has spread amongst you ...
.... Because of all this [sexual freedom] you have been described in history as a nation that spreads diseases that were unknown to man in the past. Go ahead and boast to the nations of man that you brought them AIDS as a Satanic American Invention." [footnotes: "AIDS originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the 20th century. The estimated prevalence of HIV infection in North America is among the lowest in the world at between 0.3 and 0.6% of the population."]"...The Islamic Nation, from the very core of its soul, despises your haughtiness and arrogance." (p.172) (p.166-7)[Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
Faux Concern for the Misguided
What we call you to thirdly is to take an honest stance with yourselves -- and I doubt you will do so -- in order to discover that you are a nation without principles or manners ...
.... We only desire this for your goodness, guidance and righteousness, so do not force us to send you back as cargo in coffins."
(p.170-1) [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
COMMENT: What struck me about the letter was the visceral insulting tone,(" despicable ... worst civilization witnessed in the history of mankind... incest has spread amongst you ... Go ahead and boast to the nations of man that you brought them AIDS as a Satanic American Invention.")
with every possible criticism of the US, including what Lawrence calls "taunting," but what sounds more like him grasping for anything anyone might hate about America, even issues that he himself has never given any indication of giving a passing thought to (Kyoto Accords, for example. Why would a medieval nitwit care about the environment. It's all in god's hands anyway.)
(Another example is
... Fighting comes about through the big powers' need for survival. Just read history if you want - including the history of America, which has ignited dozens of wars throughout only six decades. This is because this was one of the its most pressing needs. When the United States makes a sincere decision to stop wars in the world, it knows before anyone else that that day will mark the beginning of its collapse and disintegration of its states. [p.231, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]Admittedly that passage was not addressed to Americans, still it would indicate that his goal is not just to stop Americans from "starting wars," it's to see its disintegration. Otherwise he'd say something like ... "When the United States makes a sincere decision to stop wars in the world, then we will stop fighting it and good things will happen," knowing that American do not want to see the disintegration of their country.)
These Jews are masters of usury and leaders in treachery. They will leave you nothing, either in this world or the next. Of them God said: `Do they have any share of what He possesses? If they did they would not give away so much as the groove of the date stone.` [Q4:53] These Jews believe as part of their religion that people are their slaves, and whoever denies their religion deserves to be killed. Of them God said: `[That is] because they say "We are under not obligation toward the gentiles" - they tell a lie against God and they know it.` [Q3:75]These are some of the characteristics of the Jews, so beware of them. These, too, are some of the features of the Crusader plan, so resist it. [p.190, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights."]
"It is unbelievable - and a lie - that the [Saudi] regime should accuse the youth of the very sins that it commits itself, such as its claim that the Zionists are supporting the mujahidin! [these mujahidin being al Qaeda terrorists in Saudi and Iraq apparently] What deceit, what duplicity, what utter contempt for people's basic intelligence! ...
... So you banned imams from preaching to the mujahidin in Chechnya, and ordered them instead to preach to the youth of ?jihad in Saudi Arabia, who you dishonestly and deliberately accuse of being Zionist collaborators. And the preachers and poets who support your slanderous claims are also liars - they know you are a liar and a traitor ...." (p.268-9, from "Depose all Tyrants," ("Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004.)
Concerning the American troops stationed in Saudi following the Gulf War.
So basically an enemy come in and steals what is yours, and you ask him why he is stealing? he tells you: `No these are interests, my interests.` They are tricking us with their sophistry. So perhaps the virility of the rulers in this region has been stolen, and they think people are women. By God, the noble women of the Muslims would not let these American and Jewish whores defend them. Our goal is to work under the law of God Almighty to defend the Nobel Ka'ba, this great Ka'ba and this ancient house." [p.90, from Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
COMMENT: So troops are stationed in Saudi so that America can steal Muslim oil. But how the one leads to the other is not explored or explained, just assumed. Mainly OBL just seems to list of hot button Muslim issues: stealing what is ours, manhood lost, foreign devils trespassing, precious sacred icons under threat. Was the price of oil higher before there were American troops in Saudi? Are the American troops anywhere near the holy cities? Do they do anything to control the oil? threaten its flow? threaten its shut off? Threaten anything population centers? Threaten anything in Saudi? .... is never explained.
"For these last ten years people have been living in this thin section, [pointing to a graph] from the moment they are born, they are the biggest sector of any normal society, then those who follow them, then the ones after that and our umma for 60 to 70 years has been restricted to this section that is devoted to the service of religion and to jihad in particular. As is known, from birth to 15 years of age people do not look after themselves, nor are they really aware of great events, and from the age of 25 and above people enter into family commitments, they go out and have working commitments. A man will have a wife and children, so his mind becomes more mature, but his ability to give becomes weaker. He tells you: `Who can I leave the children to? If I leave, who will look after them?', and so on. And if we're really honest we find that this section, between the ages of 15 to 25, is when people are able to wage jihad. In Afghanistan most of the mujahidin are of this age." [p.91, from Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
Anyone helping the US or the US-backed government in Iraq
... We also decree that any of the hypocrites in Iraq, or Arab rulers who have helped America in their murder of Muslims in Iraq, anyone who approved of their actions and followed them into this Crusader war by fighting with them or providing bases or administrative support, or any other kind of backing, should be aware that they are apostates who are outside the community of Islam; it is therefore permitted to take their money and their blood. God Almighty said: `You who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies: they are allies only to each other. Anyone who takes them as an ally becomes one of them -- God does not guide such wrong doers.`" (Q5:51) (p.183, audiotape delivered to al-Jazeera dated Feb. 11, 2003, five weeks before the invasion of Iraq.)
There is no harm in such circumstances if the Muslims' interest coincide with those of the socialists in fighting the Crusaders despite our firm conviction that they are infidels. The time of these socialist rulers is long past. The socialists are infidels, wherever they may be, whether in Baghdad or Aden. The current fighting and the fighting that will take place in coming days can be very much compared to the Muslims' previous battles. There is nothing wrong with a convergence of interests here, just as the Muslims' struggle against Byzantium suited the Persians but did not harm the Prophet's companions ... [p.184, audiotape delivered to al-Jazeera dated Feb. 11, 2003, five weeks before the invasion of Iraq.]
In fact if you help any non-Muslims against Muslims you are not longer a Muslim
... the believer ... should boycott the goods of America and her allies, and he should be very wary that he does not support falsehood, for helping the infidels over Muslims -- even with a single word is clear unbelief, as the religious scholars have decreed. (p.202, from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
Threatening Iraqis who collaborate with the U.S. or the elected government.
... Islam is the religion of God, and the legislative councils of representatives are the religion of ignorance [probably a translation of jahiliyya] Those who have obeyed the commanders and scholars in making permissible what is forbidden -- like entering the legislative councils -- or making forbidden what is permissible (like jihad for His sake) has taken gods other than God and there is no strength or power save in God).I direct my call to Muslim generally and to the people of Iraq specifically, and I say to them: Make sure you do not collaborate with the Crusader forces of America and their supporters. Whoever cooperates with America -- under whatever name or title -- is an apostate and an infidel." (p.208-9, Messages, 2005, "Quagmires of the Tigris and Euphrates," October 19, 2003, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
In "Depose all Tyrants," ("Posted on the website of the Global Islamic Media Front and circulated widely in English translation" addressing "the fate of Saudi Arabia" and speaking "with utter clarity, abandoning" earlier "caution or ambiguity.") Dec. 16, 2004 -- OBL defends his good name against Saudi government charges of takfiri
Before finishing, we should respond to some of the regime's allegations .... It has accused the mujahidin of following the path of the Kharijites, but then know that we have nothing to do with such a school of thought. ... We believe that no sin besides that of unbelief makes a believer step outside his faith, even if it is a serious sin, like murder or drinking alcohol. Even if the culprit died without repenting of his sins, his fate is with God, whether He wishes to forgive him or to punish him. His destiny will be to go to Heaven. We do not anathematize [mukaffir, the step before takfir] people in general, nor do we permit the shedding of Muslim blood. If some Muslims have been killed during the operations of the mujahidin then we pray to God to take mercy on them, this is a case of accidental manslaughter, and we beg God's forgiveness for it and we take responsibility for it. [p.262, Messages, 2005]
COMMENT: Sounds righteous but deceptive. Sure you don't takfir unless your enemy has committed "unbelief" ... you just have a very wide definition of what constitutes unbelief. And what does not permitting the shedding of Muslim blood mean when you commit acts you know will shed that blood?
There can be no dialogue with the occupiers except with weapons. If we look at the nature of the conflict between us and the West, we find that when they invaded our countries more than 2500 years ago they did not have a sound religion or ethics. Their motive was to seal and plunder. Our ancestors in Bilad al-Sham remained under occupation for more than ten decades. .... [p.217, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome, January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
2500 years ago??? He's talking about the Romans? I thought the Arabs were jahiliyya then? And the Romans didn't conquer Arabia. And the Mesopotamians weren't Muslims then either. In fact they weren't Arabs
"Our sins and our failure to help God"
To begin with I bring you the good news that today, by the grace of God, our umma possess enormous powers, sufficient to rescue Palestine and the rest of the Muslim lands. However, these powers have been frittered away and we must work to release them. For our umma has been promised victory. If it has been delayed, that is only because of our sins and our failure to help God. As God said: `You who believe! If you help God, He will help you, and make you stand firm.` [Q47:7]
Other things to avoid are "seeking strength from other sources," which will bring humiliation and failure "fighting in the cause of God" because that's "an indivisible part of our religion."
Caliph Umar told Abu-Ubaydah: `We are a people whom God made powerful through Islam, and if we seek strength from other sources God will humiliate us.` Therefore the advocates of reform should know that reforming and uniting the nation under Islam cannot be achieved through lectures and books only, but through a practical plan involving the entire nation, .... beginning with prayer to God and ending with fighting in the cause of God, for fighting in the cause of God is an indivisible part of our religion. IN fact, it is the pinnacle of religion. So, how can religion survive without its apex? [p.230, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
Who did it? God (2001)
God has struck America at its Achilles heel and destroyed its greatest buildings, praise and blessing to Him. American ahs been filled with terror ... [p.104, Messages, 2005, from October 7, 2001 video delivered to al-Jazeera correspondent in Kabul]
This might just mean the usual Muslim thing that God controls everything. OTOH it might also indicate a more maniacal belief -- i.e. bin Laden thinks he and his ops are tools of God and to interfere with them is to interfere with God.
I have only a few words for America and its people: I swear by God Almighty Who raised the heavens without effort that neither America nor anyone who lives there will enjoy safety until safety becomes a reality for us living in Palestine and before all the infidel armies leave the land of Muhammad. ... [p.105, Messages, 2005, from October 7, 2001 video delivered to al-Jazeera correspondent in Kabul]
This certainly implies that OBL not only knows why the attacks took place, but has control over whether there will be other attacks on "America and its people." How else would he be in a position to swear America and its people will not know safety. Less implication goes to his control over the first attack.
"Why are we fighting and opposing you?" (2002)(p.162, Messages, 2005)[Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002] Which is a change from his line that we are not fighting but only inciting others to attack with our fatwa.
It was not until 2004 that bin Laden publicly acknowledged his role in planning and organizing the attacks of 9/11 ...
His next interview (October 21, 2001 interview with Taysir Alluni of Al Jazeera) bin Laden claims that
These young men, for whom God has created a path, have shifted the battle to the heart of the United States, and they have destroyed its most outstanding landmarks ... And they have done this because of our words -- and we have previously incited and roused them to action -- in self-defense ...[p.107, Messages, 2005]
Which
So why is the US claiming OBL did it you ask? So they can overthrow the Islamic state of the Taliban.
... it is a known fact that America is against the establishment of any Islamic state; the Commander of the Faithful [Mullah Omar] has declared this on more than one occasion, as have a lot of the prominent students, which shows that they [the Taliban] are being targeted because of their religion, not just because of the presence of Osama bin Laden. [p.107, Messages, 2005]
"If America had evidence that could prove with a degree of certainty who did this deed [9/11], then it would attribute it to Europe, to the IRA, for example. There were many ways in which it could have dealt with the problem, but even though it was merely a matter of suspicion, the real, ugly face of Crusader hatred for the Islamic world immediately manifested itself in all its clarity." (p.146, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
COMMMENT: But shithead, you're the one telling everyone how great the 9/11 mass murder was, not the IRA!
"On what basis does America accuse this group of [muhaajiruun (since they were immigrants to the West)] who wage jihad for God's sake, against whom there is no evidence other than that of injustice, oppression, and hostility?
"It is inconceivable that those who came to help the poor people today came to kill innocents, as is being alleged."
(p.146-7, Messages, 2005, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
COMMENT: The guy is a liar. He lies about what he did. Why should anyone believe he is telling the truth about what is going on?
"Here we have clear proof that this destructive, usurious global economy that America uses, together with its military force, to impose unbelief and humiliation on poor peoples, can easily collapse. Those blessed strikes in New York and the other places forced it to acknowledge the loss of more than a trillion dollars, by the grace of God Almighty." (p.150, Messages, 2005, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
" ... a unique and valuable story which the youth of Islam are waiting for their scholars to tell them, which would show the youth that these [the 9/11 attackers] are the people who have given up everything for the sake of `There is no god but God,` and would tell them what the scholar told the boy [in some previous anecdote] `Today, you are better than us.`" (p.154, Messages, 2005, from December 2001 statement recorded for release to al-Jazeera, shown on al-Jazeera Dec. 26.)
"But I am amazed at you [the people of America], Bush is still practicing his deception ... I will explain to you the reasons behind these events, and I will tell you the truth about the moments when this decision was taken, so that you can reflect on it. God knows that the plan of striking the towers had not occurred to us, but the idea came to me when things went just too far with the American-Israeli alliance's oppression and atrocities against our people in Palestine and Lebanon. ...
The event that made direct impression on me were during and after 1982, when America allowed the Israelis to invade Lebanon with the help of its third fleet [footnote about Israeli "provocations" and how "the real aim" of their invasion of Lebanon "was the destruction of the PLO"] .... All over the place, houses were being destroyed and tower blocks were collapsing ... It was like a crocodile devouring a child, who could do nothing but scream... In those critical moments, many ideas raged inside me, ideas difficult to describe, but they unleashed a powerful urge to reject injustice and a strong determination to punish the oppressors.... As I looked at those destroyed towers in Lebanon, it occurred to me to punish the oppressor in kind by destroying towers in America ....[p.239, Messages, 2005] From "Towers of Lebanon," October 29, 2004, a videotape made available in the autumn of 2004 to al-Jazeera by "the al-Sahab Institute for Media Production - by now the major conduit for al-Qaeda's video messages," "designed as an intervention in the US Presidential elections. ... crafted for its non-Muslim audience."]
Conspiracies - include not only the invasion of Iraq
My message to you concerns inciting and continuing to urge for jihad to repulse the grand plots that have been hatched against our nation, some of which have been made particularly evident, such as the occupation of the Crusaders, with the help of the apostates, of Baghdad.and imaginary plans to destroy al Aqsa mosque but Peace plans (usually for Palestine/Israel).(p.214, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004)
"... So, beware of any call for laying down arms on the pretext of achieving peace. This is because this will be a call to humiliate us. Only a hypocrite or an ignorant person can promote such calls. [p.231, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
Pretexts - Terrorists acts that the enemy retaliates against (i.e. uses as the explanation for the retaliation). "Under the pretext of fighting terrorism, the West today is doing its utmost to tarnish jihad and kill anyone seeking jihad. The West is supported in this endeavor by hypocrites." (p.218, Messages, 2005, Resist the New Rome," Jan. 4, 2004)
Earthly Religions - Democracy and nationalism
al-Rum adj.Rumi - Byzantine, Greek Orthodox (p.212)
al-Ruman - Roman Catholics, Western Christians, synonym for Crusaders when used by Osama bin Laden. (p.212, Messages, 2005)
Bilad al-Sham - "Land of the Sun" (?) or "Land of Dignity" Arab name for the region that corresponds to modern-day Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. This unity was destroyed by imperialist division. (p.217, Messages, 2005)
(Lawrence has a post-Qutb description of jahilliya that has appeared verbatim in wikipedia: "In some radical Islamic thought, jahiliyya has come to denote a function analogous to the Marxist concept of false consciousness. The Egyptian writer, theoretician and member of the Muslim brotherhood Sayyid Qutb reformulated the term, applying to modern-day Muslim societies. He believed that the influence of European imperialism had left the Muslim world in a condition of debased ignorance similar to that of the pre-Islamic era. ...
[COMMENT: I think Lawrence is full of shit again. I don't remember Qutb mentioning imperialism, (or as Qutb would say "crusaders"), as wellspring of jahiliyya in Milestones. And he does say Islam has been dead "for centuries," which would seem to predate the advent of Imperialism with Napoleon. More likely he would blame jahiliyya for weakness that allowed the crusaders to takeover, though I have not read all of his shit.]
"Following Qutb, some radical Islamic movements see jahiliyya as an active force, emanating particularly from permissive American society, and seducing Muslims away from the laws of God. Participating in modern liberal capitalist social and political institutions is seen as a symptom of jahiliyya." (p.16, Messages, 2005) Who are these radical Islamic movements and where do they say it Lawrence?
How can these men enter the council of polytheism, the legislative council of representatives, which Islam has destroyed? Such an action destroys the head of faith, and what else do they have? And then they even claim that they are in the right. They are making a big mistake, and God knows that Islam has nothing to do with them."Islam is the religion of God, and the legislative councils of representatives are the religion of ignorance [probably a translation of jahiliyya] Those who have obeyed the commanders and scholars in making permissible what is forbidden -- like entering the legislative councils -- or making forbidden what is permissible (like jihad for His sake) has taken gods other than God and there is no strength or power save in God). (p.208-9, Messages, 2005, "Quagmires of the Tigris and Euphrates," October 19, 2003, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
complaining about the apostate rulers, whose "flaw" is not so much their corruption as "their fundamental approach
This [approach] came about when a malicious belief and destructive principle spread in most walks of life, so that absolute supremacy and obedience became due to the ruler, and not to the religion of God. This means that slavery is imposed by the ruler and not by Almighty God. This is the important reality that the rulers manipulate, even if they use Islam as a cover, particularly in some countries, where thy assigned an army of ulema, preachers, writers, and the entire mass media for about a century to exaggerate the meaning of obedience to the ruler ... Therefore, the ruler became an idol to be worshipped instead of God -- this is the current situation in Saudi Arabia[p.227, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
Which follows Qutb's line that obedience to the ruler is servitude (slavery) and servitude is worship.
... and a bit later, again, government legislation is "worship"
`Praise and glory to Him: He is far above whatever they set up as partners with Him;` he then says `But they were commanded to serve only One God; There is no God but Him. [Q9:31] This shows that issuing legislation concerning that is allowed and what is banned is a type of worship. This is one of the most important traits of God and one of the most important prerequisites for testifying that there is no god but God, ... [p.228, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
Is that so? Why doesn't the Qur'an just say that then, you dumb fuck?
Talking about a tradition by Uday bin-Hatim who
thought, as do many people, that following the leaders and ulema in allowing what has been forbidden by God, and banning what has been allowed by God, is not worship of these leaders.... However, when bin-Hatim came to the Messenger of God, while he was reading this Qur'anic verse: `They take their rabbis and their monks as lords.` [Q9:31] He said that he told the Prophet: `They did not worship them.` The Prophet answered: `Yes but they forbade what is allowed and allowed what has been forbidden, and followed them. Therefore, this is what they worship.` [from the hadith collection of al-Tirmidhi] [p.228, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
One of the beneficial books that explained the previous Qur'anic verse is The Book of Faith by Sheikh ibn Taymiyya, may God have mercy on his soul; and also the book titled Fath al-Mujid by Sheikh Abd-al-Rahman bin-Hasan al-Shaykh, may God have mercy on his soul; and the book entitled Concepts that Should be Corrected by Sheikh Muhammad Qutb. [p.229, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
The Egyptian Islamic Group was one of the five groups listed as part of the World Islamic Front in the February 1998 fatwa.
Q. Were they part of the World Islamic Front, but no longer? "Yes we have very strong links with them, by the grace of God Almighty, since the days of the jihad, when we were fighting in the same trenches against the Soviet Union. They played a supportive, supervisory role in the signing of the [fatwa] calling for American and Jewish blood to be shed. They signed the fatwa, there was some confusion with an administrative issue .... It did sign the [fatwa], but it is not part of the World Islamic Front." (p.89, Messages, 2005) [Al Jazeera interview December 1998 following Kenya and Tanzania embassy attacks.]
"Voices have been raised in Iraq -- as previously in Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and others -- calling for a peaceful democratic solution in cooperation with apostate governments, or with the Jewish and Crusader invaders, instead of fighting for God. We should therefore make note, briefly, of the danger of this wrong-headed, errant idea which contravenes God's law and stands in the way of fighting for Him.How can you obey those who never fought for God, while remaining true to the duty of jihad? Are you not thinking? These are the people who sapped the energies of the umma from the righteous men and followed human desires instead; these are the ones who followed democracy, the religion of ignorance. By entering the legislative councils these men have strayed far from truth, as well as leading many others astray.
How can these men enter the council of polytheism, the legislative council of representatives, which Islam has destroyed? Such an action destroys the head of faith, and what else do they have? And then they even claim that they are in the right. They are making a big mistake, and God knows that Islam has nothing to do with them."
Islam is the religion of God, and the legislative councils of representatives are the religion of ignorance [probably a translation of jahiliyya] Those who have obeyed the commanders and scholars in making permissible what is forbidden -- like entering the legislative councils -- or making forbidden what is permissible (like jihad for His sake) has taken gods other than God and there is no strength or power save in God). (p.208-9, Messages, 2005, "Quagmires of the Tigris and Euphrates," October 19, 2003, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.)
The republics and kingdoms embraced several earthly religions in the region, like pan-Arabism, socialism, communism, democracy and other doctrines. [p.218, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome, audiotape delivered to al-Jazeera and broadcast by it on January 4, 2004]
On the other hand in the very same screed he says...
. .... all Arab countries currently suffer from great deterioration in all walks of life, in both religious and worldly matters. It is enough to know that the economy of all Arab countries is weaker than the economy of one country that had once been part of our [Islamic] world when we used to truly adhere to Islam. That country is the lost al-Andalus. Spain is an infidel country, but its economy is stronger than ours because the ruler there is accountable. In our countries, there is no accountability or punishment, but only obedience to the rulers and prayers of long life for them. [p.227, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome, audiotape delivered to al-Jazeera and broadcast by it on January 4, 2004]
COMMENT: So "accountability" -- presumably meaning free elections -- leads to strength and prosperity and is good, but democracy is polytheism.
The honest people who are concerned about this situation -- such as the ulema, leaders who are obeyed among their people, dignitaries, nobles, and merchants -- should get together and meet in a safe place away from the shadow of these oppressive regimes and form a council for Ahl al-Hall was al-Aqd to fill the vacuum caused by these religiously invalid regimes and their mental deficiency. The people have the right to appoint an imam. The people also have the right to make him correct his course if he deviates from it and to remove him if he does something that warrants this, such as apostasy and treason.This temporary council should be made up of the minimum number of available personnel, who should be tough on the rest of the nation, except what the religion permits in case of necessity, until the situation improves and the number is increased, God willing. The council's policy should be based on the book of God and the tradition of this Prophet. It should start by directing Muslims to the important priorities at this critical stage, and lead them to a safe haven, provided that their top priority is uniting opinions under the word of monotheism and defending Islam, its people and countries, and urging Muslims to prepare for and carry out jihad.
The people should be given easy access to arms, particularly light weapons; anti-armored rockets, such as RPGs; and tank mines; as well as the declaration of a general mobilization in the nation to prepare for repulsing the raid of the Romans, which started in Iraq; no one know where it will end ...[p.230, Messages, 2005, "Resist the New Rome," January 4, 2004, videotape delivered to al-Jazeera.]
He offers a peace proposal.
It is all too clear, then, who benefits most from stirring up this war and blood-shed: the merchants of war, the bloodsuckers who direct world policy from behind the scenes. President Bush and other leaders like him ... the United Nations...We are determined, with God's will, to continue our struggle and to build on what we have already done in order to stop the merchants of war. In response to the positive initiatives that have been reflected in recent events and opinion polls showing that most people in Europe want peace, I call upon just men, especially scholars, media, and businessmen, to form a permanent commission to raise awareness among Europeans of the justice of our causes, primarily Palestine, making use of the enormous potential of the media.So I present to them this peace proposal, which is essentially a commitment to cease operations against any state that pledges not to attack Muslims or intervene in their affairs, including that American conspiracy against the great Islamic world. This peace can be renewed at the end of a government's term and the beginning of a new one, with the consent of both sides. It will come into effect on the departure of its last soldier from our lands, and it is available for a period of three months from the day this statement is broadcast. [p.235, Messages, 2005, "To the Peoples of Europe," a video statement broadcast on Al Jazeera, one month after Madrid bombing, April 15, 2004]
COMMENT: Hmmm, "renewed at the end of a government's term ... with the consent of both sides." Could this be following the Prophet's truce with the Qariysh? And then of course there was a bomb found and a big plot discovered in Spain following the 3/11 bombing and withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq.
COMMENT: The biggest issue surrounding bin Laden is 9/11 and whether he did it. There he denies and denies and denies and then admits it, or rather he talks about how he got the idea to do it without any reference to his previous denials, let alone any explanation for why he lied. Surely this barefaced lack of honesty should give pause to people thinking of negotiating with him.
.
It's not that bin Laden is gleefully plotting clever lies to fool the masses. It's just that the facts of the situation, to him, are irrelevant. And since his side is God's side, there is no possibility of him feeling guilty or abashed for saying things that aren't true.
As cobert says: "I don't hate the truth, just facts."
COMMENT: It's helpful to think of Bin Laden and other jihadis having a two tract agenda.
e.g. Why should the US get out of Saudi? There are two answers:
Why is a war against the U.S. necessary?
The first tract is doctrinal. The second is visceral.
The jihadi line is that the visceral reasons exist because they follow from the doctrinal ones, i.e. because God's path for us commandments to us are right and good it follows that there are plenty of other good reasons to do what he commands us to do. God wants us to "purify the earth" conquer non-Muslims) because the earth is impure (the kuffar are depraved, cruel, greedy, filthy, etc.)
But what if the visceral reasons are not true and kuffar are not evil? Then we need a new reason for existence of these visceral tract i.e. reasons Muslims like bin Laden believe them. I propose that Muslims like OBL believe them because he sees that Muslims that the doctrinal reasons aren't enough to rouse Muslims and other reasons are needed.
To me all this suggests that despite the Islamic revival, the traditional Islamic principle of Islamic supremacy still isn't enough to get killing going. That jihadis have to appeal to self-defense suggests that the Christian/modern western virtues of live and let live, be nice to people have infiltrated Muslim world and even jihadi's are not immune to their power.
"The White House misrepresent[s] the truth, [their ] idiotic leader claims that we despise their way of life - although the truth that the Pharaoh of the age is hiding is that we strike them because of their injustice towards us in the Islamic world, especially in Palestine and Iraq ..." (p.193, Messages, 2005)[from 53-minute audiotape that "was circulated on various websites." dated Feb. 14, 2003. "Among a Band of Knights." ]
"We call you to be a people of manners, principles, honor, and purity; to reject the immoral acts of fornication, homosexuality, intoxicants, gambling, and usury. [Oct. 6, 2002. Appeared in Al-Qala'a website and then the London Observer Nov. 24, 2002.]
What difference does it make? If his fight is against injustice by outsiders against his people, its self defense, a defensive jihad. If the fight is against kuffar's disgusting unIslamic behavior its is NOT self defense. As a footnotes in the book says:
"The doctrine of jihad is traditionally split into two categories: `offensive` and `defensive`. An offensive jihad, to conquer new lands for Islam and convert new peoples to the faith, is a collective responsibility of all Muslims; however, it must be called by a Caliph, the recognized leader of the world Islamic community. Bin Laden always described his jihad as `defensive`, something for which no formal declaration of war is required. In Michael Scheuer words, a defensive jihad is a `an Islamic military reaction triggered by an attack by non-Muslims on the Islamic faith, on Muslims, on Muslim territory, or all three. ...`"
As bin Laden's old mentor Assam says offensive jihad (invasion and conquest) is Fard Kifaya (somebody has to do it) but self defense is Fard Kifaya (every able-bodied person has to participate).
Jihad Against the Kuffar is Two TypesOffensive Jihad (where the enemy is attacked in his own territory).
Where the Kuffar are not gathering to fight the Muslims. The fighting becomes Fard Kifaya the minimum requirement of appointing believers to guard borders, and the sending of an army at least once a year to terrorise the enemies of Allah. ....
Defensive Jihad
This is expelling the Kuffar from our land, and it is Fard Ayn, a compulsory duty upon all. It is the most important of all the compulsory duties .... [Fatwa "Defense of the Muslim Lands" http://www.religioscope.com/info/doc/jihad/azzam_defence_2_intro.htm ]
So this means
COMMENT: "We call on everyone who believe in God and want reward to comply with His will to kill the Americans and seize their money wherever and when ever they find them." (World Islamic Front fatwa Feb 23, 1998)
Is the claim that the US is "plundering" (note the medieval terminology, "plundering" not "exploiting", as though low oil prices were a sort of marauding American horsemen laying waste to the Islamic countryside) a psychological projection of the jihadi desire to seize American booty? I wonder if non-Muslim reading about this (and the 9/11 manual instructing jihadis to steal from the pilots they've killed despite the fact they (jihadis) will be dead in a few minutes) think its
A) The ritualistic following of desert caravan raiding from which modern Muslims are descended.
B) Jihadis are at least in part interested in jihad for the booty and not completely for religious reasons. i.e. they paint themselves as saints but are actually more thieves.
"For bin Laden, the Saudi reaction to the invasion of Kuwait also demonstrated that the United States and no one else is in charge in the Middle East. It logically follows that it is the United States, not the Saudi government, that controls the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, just as Israel controls the holy site of Jerusalem. In one statement after another, bin Laden repeats that Muslims must recognize that all three holy sites are now under non-Muslim domination -- that the Saudi government is a mere puppet and a traitor to Islam. When asked why he targets the American rather than the Saudi government, bin Laden responds that targeting the master must take priority over targeting the puppet. " (Abou el Fadl)
Distance between PSA and medina is 503 miles (810 km) (437 nautical miles) Initial heading from (Prince Sultan Airbase KSA) 24:03:48N 47:34:50E (Latitude and Long from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/prince-sultan.htm to (medina KSA) 24:28:07N 39:36:51E : west (274.8 degrees) (Latitude and Long from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/prince-sultan.htm Initial heading from (Medina KSA) 24:28:07N 39:36:51E to (Prince Sultan Airbase KSA) 24:03:48N 47:34:50E: east (91.5 degrees) (Latitude and long from http://www.travelpost.com/ME/Saudi_Arabia/Al_Madinah/Medina/1705800
Distance between PSA and Mecca is 526 miles (847 km) (457 nautical miles)
Initial heading from (Prince Sultan Airbase KSA) 24:03:48N 47:34:50E to (Mecca KSA) 21:25:32N 39:50:16E: west-southwest (251.4 degrees) Initial heading from 21:25:32N 39:50:16E to 24:03:48N 47:34:50E: east-northeast (68.4 degrees) Distance between 24:03:48N 47:34:50E and 21:25:32N 39:50:16E, as the crow flies:
Abou el Fadl in bostonreview.net/BR31.2/elfadl.html
Bin Laden seems to suffer from a grandiose, perhaps delusional sense of his own achievements. According to him, the mujahideen single-handedly brought down the Soviet Union. Although most experts agree that the mujahideen were heavily supported by the Saudi government and the CIA and that bin Laden himself at one time worked with the CIA, bin Laden denies all of this. The mujahideen, he says, assisted only by God, brought the Soviet empire to its knees.
The United States, he argues, is much weaker than the Soviet Union ever was, and so it follows that if Muslim fighters could single-handedly undermine the Soviet Union, the same could be done to the United States. Bin Laden exaggerates the impact of the 9/11 attacks, and on one occasion even indulges in bizarre calculations of the financial losses that the United States must have suffered, concluding that a few more well-placed strikes are bound to cause the nation’s downfall. Once the mujahideen cause the American empire to disintegrate or become seriously weakened, it is only a matter of time before all Muslims break the yoke of subjugation by overthrowing their governments, which he believes are nothing more than puppets in the hands of the United States. Ultimately, Muslims will expel the foreign occupiers from their lands. At times, bin Laden reverses the order of his logic-he predicts that first Muslims will rise to overthrow the puppet governments, and in doing so they will bring down the American empire. Whatever the expected order of destruction, bin Laden must be very disappointed because none of the revolutions that he predicted, whether in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, or Yemen, have materialized.
* * *
Read as a revolutionary, then, bin Laden comes across as politically naive or ill informed or both. But in any case most of bin Laden’s discourse is missing an essential part of the revolutionary message: he is not focused on creating a new world order-he rarely speaks about spreading the Muslim faith all over the world or about establishing a Muslim caliphate that would come to rule the world. In fact, he invites Americans to become Muslim only once, and his half-hearted invitation is only made in response to Muslim critics who accuse him of violating the technical dictates of traditional Islamic law by attacking Americans without proper notice and a declaration of war, and without first giving them the opportunity to convert to Islam.
From: "The Crusader : Why we must take Osama bin Laden's writings seriously by Khaled Abou El Fadl"
Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama bin Laden
edited by Bruce Lawrence and translated by James Howarth Verso, $16.95 (paper)
bostonreview.net/BR31.2/elfadl.html
Rodenbeck in http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18750?email
They do not, by and large, make for fascinating reading. As Bruce Lawrence, a Duke University religion professor, notes in the concise and illuminating introduction to his well-edited collection Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama Bin Laden, the arch terrorist is, above all, a polemicist. He is a soapbox orator, scoring unsubtle points in an imaginary debate by drawing on a mix of Islamic scripture, faddish political constructs, and gross exaggeration, as well as real historical grievances. His surprisingly limited number of recorded speeches, delivered sometimes on audio, sometimes videotape, or in the form of Internet screeds and occasionally Q & A sessions with journalists, are repetitive. For all his aura of religious punctiliousness, bin Laden twists Islamic texts to his purposes. He seems happy to engage in factual distortion and, occasionally, the politician's bald-faced lie.
Such is the case, for instance, when he bluntly denies that American arms and money (which included Stinger ground-to-air missiles, among other goodies worth some $3 billion, delivered between 1981 and 1989) had anything to do with the success of the Afghan Mujahideen in expelling Soviet invaders. After repeatedly railing against America's "occupation" of holy soil-i.e., the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the kingdom's rulers, to protect it from the "Muslim" army of Saddam Hussein-the absence of any mention of those troops' subsequent withdrawal, in the wake of the invasion of Iraq, smells of self-serving rhetorical omission.
Bin Laden excels at hyperbole. The idea that America "robs" Arabs of their oil will certainly be news to American consumers, as much as to the very wealthy citizens of, say, Kuwait. Non-Muslim forces do indeed have troubles in various parts of the Muslim world, but they are not "attacking Muslims like people fight over a plate of food." It takes a degree of ignorance or fanaticism to believe that America wants to "enslave" Muslims or to "annihilate" Islam. Surely, if that were the case, America would have started by attacking Mecca.
Bin Laden's sense of history is equally skewed. He repeatedly declares that the Christian West has warred on Islam "for 80 years."[3] In fact, Western incursions into the Muslim world were far more penetrating and brutal before then; consider the Dutch conquest of the East Indies, the French invasion of Algeria in the 1830s, or Britain's crushing of the 1854 Indian Mutiny. Western political control over Muslims has actually receded steadily since the 1920s, as shown by the fact that four in five Muslims live in countries that gained independence after World War II or that Bosnia, Albania, Azerbaijan, and the Stans of Central Asia have all won freedom from atheist communism in the past fifteen years. Nowhere does bin Laden credit American policy for any of this. Likewise, the generally untroubled presence of millions of recent Muslim immigrants in Western countries goes completely unremarked.
Western support for the creation of Israel may, in fairness, be seen as having caused considerable suffering. The Zionist enterprise does look, to many Muslims as well as to others, like an anachronistic extension of European colonization into the modern age. But for all the turmoil, the number killed in six decades of conflict over Palestine amounts to a fraction of the "hundreds of thousands" reported by bin Laden, with a majority of those victims having been Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, and Jordanian soldiers, or Lebanese civilians, rather than Israelis or Palestinians. The plight of Palestinian refugees is tragic and a stain on the world's conscience. But Israel did not "create five million refugees." It created just under a million. Population growth turned them into five million, most of whom are fairly well integrated into other societies. Meanwhile, some 700,000 Jews left predominantly Muslim countries to settle in Israel.
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There are obvious contradictions in bin Laden's logic, too. For instance, he despises democracy as a "religion of ignorance," because it issues man-made laws. He then defends attacks on American civilians on the grounds that they are responsible for electing their governments. Yet he remarks elsewhere that Spain has a bigger economy than that of all Arab countries combined because "the ruler there is accountable." Evidently, he has never heard theological justifications for democracy, based on the notion that the will of the people must necessarily reflect the will of an all-knowing God.
So misplaced are many of his citations from Islamic scripture that in all likelihood, one of the best ways to diminish the al-Qaeda leader's stature would be to publish his words more widely in the Muslim world. He frequently quotes the more aggressive passages from the Koran regarding dealings with infidels, for instance, concluding with an exhortation not to ignore such passages by reading selectively. Yet he himself reads selectively by ignoring Koranic injunctions for mercy and pacifism. In one bizarre interpretation, he says that the famous verse "If anyone kills another person...it is as if he has killed all mankind" means that Israel, backed by America, has killed all the children in the world.
More disturbingly, for a Muslim audience, bin Laden arrogates to himself and to his movement a right to speak for the Islamic umma, or nation. Every Muslim, he confidently asserts, hates Americans, hates Jews, and hates Christians as a matter of religious conviction. The dynamiting of the colossal third-century-AD Buddhas of Bamian by the Taliban in March 2001, an act decried by Muslim religious leaders everywhere, he describes as a great Islamic decision. He uses parables about those in the Prophet's time who failed to rally to Muhammad's battle cry as relating to himself. He and his Mujahideen, he declares, are the living conscience of the umma, and anyone who does not join their jihad suffers from a "disease."
One wonders for how many Muslims bin Laden speaks when he says, "Being killed for God's cause is a great honor achieved by only those who are the elite of the nation. We love this kind of death...as much as you like to live." Even more chillingly, when asked if his presence in Afghanistan has not brought suffering to ordinary people, he replies that jihad is a duty, "So if I, or some of my brothers...have acted upon this duty to bring victory to our brothers in Palestine, it does not mean that bin Laden alone must endure this, but that it is a duty on all our umma to do so." This blithe justification for collateral damage obviously extends to infidels as well. Comfortingly, however, bin Laden repeatedly explains that the September 11 attacks did not actually target people, but rather "symbols," "idols," and "global unbelief."
As Bruce Lawrence notes, a striking aspect of bin Laden's message is its failure to elaborate any sort of social or political program. His notion of an Islamic state sounds as barren and paranoid as Enver Hoxha's Albania. In one of the few passages where he hints at any sort of political structure, he suggests vaguely the creation of a ruling council, whose top priority would be "uniting opinions under the word of monotheism and defending Islam." There would also be a general distribution of arms to the public (here he gets specific: rocket-propelled grenade launchers, anti-tank mines) so as to "prepare for repulsing the raid of the Romans, which started in Iraq."
But this reticence to expound a program is perhaps not as surprising as Lawrence suggests. To the radical, atavistically utopian school of Islamism from which bin Laden springs there is no need for further explanation. The faith itself is a cure for all ills; its imperfect application is the source of all Muslim woes. Lawrence is wrong, therefore, to reject parallels with radical leftist movements such as the Italian Red Brigades, with their prescriptive programs. Al-Qaeda also sees itself as a revolutionary vanguard, with the difference that its post-victory blueprints, or so it assumes, need only to be retrieved from the drawer of the early Islamic caliphate.
From: NYRoB March 9, 2006 Review "Their Master's Voice" By Max Rodenbeck
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18750?email
.... By 1997, however, bin Laden had begun to abandon this deferential stance and assume for himself the role (as he put it in an interview with the journalist Peter Arnett) of "enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong," since Islamic scholars seemed incapable of fulfilling this traditional duty themselves. He was on a course that would eventually lead to the conclusion that listening to scholars who err is "tantamount to worshiping them rather than God." From here it was but a short step to try to replace the scholars, offering his own interpretations of Islamic texts and traditions and presenting them as binding on believers.
Bin Laden's "legal" innovations are not minor. Following some other radicals, he frequently speaks of the war against Christians and Jews as an individual duty of every Muslim. But according to Islamic law, only defensive jihad is an individual duty; offensive jihad is a collective duty of the Muslim community, to be prosecuted only under the command of a responsible leader.
As classically understood, the law of jihad prohibits the killing of innocents. In 1996, bin Laden denied having targeted civilians, and in 1997 he condemned the United States government's hypocrisy in not calling the bombing of Hiroshima terrorism. Over time, though, bin Laden has come to endorse the targeting of civilians. In November 2001, for example, when asked in an interview whether the killing of civilians (including Muslims) on Sept. 11 was justified, he argued that revenge killings of Americans were justified, and pointed out that Islamic law allows believers to attack invaders even when the enemy uses human shields. But this classical position was originally intended as a legal justification for the accidental killing of civilians under very limited circumstances -- not a basis for intentionally targeting noncombatants. Later, in an open letter to Americans posted on the Internet in 2002, bin Laden appears to have abandoned this pseudoscholarly argument in favor of the perverse claim that since the United States is a democracy, all citizens bear responsibility for its government's actions, and civilians are therefore fair targets.
The shift in authority away from the scholars and to the individual is sometimes seen as a feature of an Islamic reformation. If so, its harmful consequences need to be recognized alongside whatever promise it may hold. The individual duty of jihad and the targeting of innocents are the two indispensable pillars of the jihadi movement as it exists today. Bin Laden's move to supplant the scholarly tradition, arrogate authority to himself and embrace violence on a grand scale represents a power grab of historic significance. When bin Laden says he is engaged in a war of religion, he is doing more than trying to mobilize Muslims -- he is trying to make himself their legitimate decision maker, and thus their leader.
Ultimately, bin Laden's innovations matter because they point the way to defeating his arguments. Attacks on Muslim civilians in Iraq and Jordan have begun to create some backlash, and the targeting of civilians is once again an issue among jihadis and other Muslims in a way it has not been since 9/11. In the long run, the only way to cut off the international jihadi movement at the root is for Muslims to conclude that their own religious tradition does not countenance the deviations of recent years.
Putting bin Laden's words on paper helps show him for what he is -- a Muslim out of the mainstream, distorting the faith to justify murder. In the end, the most constructive thing one can do with a book like this one is to use it against itself, as a tool in the fight against terrorism.
Noah Feldman is a professor of law at New York University. His most recent book is "Divided by God."