bin Laden critized the royal Saudi family publicly for disgracing the sanctity of the birthplace of Islam. With this demand, bin Laden was exiled from Saudi Arabia which would eventually lead to his declaration of jihad in 1996.
Al-Qaeda described the United States as an "alliance of Jews, Christians and their agents."
The United States' military presence in Saudi Arabia was condemned, comparing it to the European Crusades. Furthermore, the international sanctions against Iraq were publicly criticized by bin Laden, as the voice of Al-Qaeda, in addition to his condemnation of America's support of Israel. The global equality Al-Qaeda so desperately thought was lacking could only be achieved, in bin Laden's eyes, through terror.
Terror, bin Laden surmised, was the only way Al-Qaeda could come into contact with the United States. He continued explaining his motivations by noting that terror was the dark side of America's own democracy, that Al-Qaeda's militancy was a legitimate response to the violence bin Laden attributed to the Western world. Only though terror did Al-Qaeda believe they could achieve the equality they so desired, and acknowledged that America was founded upon.
With this mindset that violence was the only answer, the terror of September 11th was devised and delivered.
Who Al-Qaeda Considers to be Enemies:
Al-Qaeda sees several entities as their enemies. First, and foremost, it sees the United States as an enemy. For the continued involvement in Muslim affairs, that Al-Qaeda believes should be left to the Islamic world to sort out, America has had a giant bulls-eye painted on Uncle Sam's back. Saudi Arabia's royal family and their assistance of America in troop deployment also are considered to be enemies of Al-Qaeda. Israel has been considered an enemy of Al-Qaeda not only for their religious belief that are contrary to the Muslim faith, but because they continue to be one of America's strongest allies. Lastly, any nation or group of people who have aligned themselves with the United States in actions in the Middle East are seen as enemies to Al-Qaeda.
Conclusion:
Zelkovitz cited Former President George W. Bush as once describing Al-Qaeda as "a radical ideology seeking to impose its world-view throughout the...
This group that once was on the receiving end of American taxpayer dollars, in an effort to oust the Soviet Union from Afghanistan, today feels that America is continuously over-stepping their boundaries and that the only way to obtain the desired equality is through military force and terror.
Bibliography
Blanchard, Christopher. Al Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology. (20 June 2005). Online. Available from http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/al-queda%20evolve.htm [accessed 26 October 2009].
Devji, Faisal. "Lying with the Enemy: Militant Islam in the Global Arena." ASIANetwork Exchange 16, no. 2 (March 2009), 68-71.
Hellmich, Christina. "Creating the Ideology of Al Qaeda: From Hypocrites to Salafi-Jihadists." Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 31, no. 2 (February 2008). 111-124.
Moyers, Bill. Brief History of al Qaeda. (2008). Online. Available from http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07272007/alqaeda.html [accessed 26 October 2009].
Zelkovitz, Ido. "Fatah's Embrace of Islamism." Middle East Quarterly 15, no. 2 (Spring 2008), 19-26.
Bill Moyers, Brief History of al Qaeda (2008). Online; available from http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07272007/alqaeda.html [accessed 26 October 2009].
Ibid.
Ibid.
Christina Hellmich, "Creating the Ideology of Al Qaeda: From Hypocrites to Salafi-Jihadists," Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 31, no. 2 (February 2008), 111.
Faisal Devji, "Lying with the Enemy: Militant Islam in the Global Arena," ASIANetwork Exchange 16, no. 2 (March 2009), 68.
Christopher Blanchard, Al Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology (20 June 2005) Online; available from http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/al-queda%20evolve.htm [accessed 26 October 2009].
Moyers, 2008
Blanchard, 2005.
Ibid.
Devji, 2009.
Ibid.
Ido Zelkovitz,"Fatah's Embrace of Islamism," Middle East Quarterly 15, no. 2 (Spring 2008), 19.
