Imperial Hubris by Michael Scheuer, 2004, Excerpts
An appreciation of the Muslim perspective – this does not mean acceptance – allows the West to gauge bin Laden’s appeal and staying power. Bin Laden certainly is the most popular anti-American leader in the world today. His name is legend from
Bin Laden is not a ruler, and therefore not tainted with tyranny and corruption. Even more striking is the contrast demonstrated in his personal life between himself and present-day rulers of most of the Arab lands. Osama bin Laden presents the inspiring spectacle of one who, by his own free choice, has forsaken a life of riches and comfort for one of hardship and danger. The Saudi’s compare him to the most distinguished people and see that bin Laden has left the life of luxury and luxury of hotels to the trenches, the trenches of jihad. But they see others compete for the worldly life and its vanities and palaces and ranches. Osama bin Laden is not an aberrant product of Saudi society – he is its poster boy.
Bin Laden has no center of gravity in the traditional sense – no economy, no cities, no homeland, no power grids, no regular military. Bin Laden’s center of gravity, rather, lies in the list of current U.S. policies toward the Muslim world because that status quo enrages Muslims around the globe and gives bin Laden’s efforts to instigate a worldwide anti-U.S. defensive jihad virtually unlimited room for growth.
In a world where Muslim leaders are mostly effete kings and princes who preach austere Islam but live in luxuriant debauchery; or murderous family dictatorships, like Iraq’s Hussein’s, Egypt’s Mubaraks, Libya’s Qadahfis, and Syria’s Asads; or coup installed generals holding countries together after politicians have emptied the till, bin Laden and al Qaeda have won the aura of Robin Hood.
Well-spoken, kind, considerate, pious, and humble, bin Laden also killed more than three thousand Americans on
A coalition that includes Russia, China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Yemen; the dictators of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, and Egypt; the titans of nineteenth-century colonialism in the Middle East, Britain, and France; and the state of Israel makes bin Laden look like a prophet of old, as his supporters or sympathizers believe they see the truth of his argument that America wants allies only among those willing to oppress Muslims and eliminate Islam.
