Osama Bin Laden (Essay Sample)

OSAMA BIN LADEN
By
Insert name:
Institution:
Instructor:
Date:
OSAMA BIN LADEN.
OVERVIEW OF TERRORISM AND OSAMA.
As terrorism has been evolving, a man by the name of Osama bin Laden contributed significantly to its development as the world was ushering in the 20th century. Terrorism has been used worldwide by Muslim extremists who believe that Christians and Jews are heretics who must be exterminated by all means. To accomplish this, they have used several organizations for the same e.g. Alisha abab in Kenya and Somalia, bongo haramu in Nigeria. Osama bin Laden was the leader of al-Qaida until his death. He attacked and killed Christians and Jews in order, as he believed, to praise Allah, who is a Muslim God.
WHO IS OSAMA BEEN LADEN?
Osama bin Laden was a Saudi Arabian born to a Syrian mother and a Yemen father in 1957.he was the 7th son among fifty brothers and sisters. He later in his middle life became an extremist who believed that he was born into this world to bring equality where there seemed to be no equality. He was a lonely man who will up without love or no one to love and care for him. Thus, he resorted to seeking peace, love and solace in religion. He is a man who planned attacks on the world trade center and other several attacks in East Africa. He lived all his life to implant fear into all mankind especially non-muslims.His actions will forever leave the world changed. By his al-Qaida networks, terror was inflicted and is inflicted upon all who live upon the face of the earth. America as a nation lost its grip on security through these networks. He was traced and killed on 2nd may 2011 by us navy seals and his body buried in the sea (Partridge, 2011, p 60)
RADICALIZATION OF OSAMA BIN LADEN.
Osama bin Laden was not born a radical Muslim as he later proved to be but was developed as he grew up. Abdel Bari Atwan of CNN reported that he had an interview with him back in 1996 and in fact he described him to be gentle spoken, humble, even shy and extremely polite. With this description, sometimes, it is even hard to reconcile it with the fact that he presided over so much terror and destruction.
This change may have started in his childhood. He was his father's favorite among all his over 50 siblings. As he was growing up, he used to be a quiet and aloof child. He always accompanied his father to business and religious meetings and sat silently by his side instead of joining other children to play. At ten years, his dad's plane crashed by an error of judgment committed by an American pilot. The plane crash might have developed his antipathy against USA.The many Muslims pilgrims welcomed in his home even after his father's death introduced the young man to the radical teachings of Sayyid Quib, which resonated with Osama( Partridge.2011, p 90).
Pakistan intelligence revealed to Osama that he was among those targeted for assassination by CIA.The information made him fly home just to find himself under home arrest. He felt that they had been exploited and cheated by Americans thus Saudi's compliance with USA agenda was a betrayal to him. By 1991, he secretly left his land of birth (Bergen, 2002, p 78).
All this factors and many others combined at last led to the radicalization of Osama. And results of all this and how it affected and has continued to change the world is well known to all mankind. After his death, USA saw that it gained the greatest victory ever, but they were not aware that he had developed and inspired other radicals who will continue his mission. Up to now terrorism has continued to grow, and more people are being radicalized. Thus, it is becoming a major threat to our world today.
OSAMA BIN LADEN’S "ACHIEVEMENTS”
He organized a successful major attack against USA, which was by the then the world super power. The attacks had a tremendous effect on the world as whole, because if the global superpower cannot protect itself what about the small states with little or no security strategies. Thus, the entire world was seized by terror not knowing what next; many thought world war three is around the corner (Bergen, 2002, p 134)
He managed to provoke two massive and unpopular and costly invasions of two countries by USA and its allies causing death destruction and misery on a large scale. These wars did much damage to the countries' prestige and their economies (Hoffman, 2008, p 88).
The invasions that Osama bin Laden started have spawned imitators around the world and provoked other terrorist's attacks. The same agenda, Osama had in his mind of eliminating heretics, is on until now. As the recent attacks in Kenya by Elisha abab prove that his ideas were still carried forward. The bus that was attacked in Mandera Kenya had all Muslims separated from Christians with the Muslims being exhorted to stand firm and join in the holy war against Christians and that is the only way they will find a place in ‘heaven' and all Christians who were outside the bus were murdered mercilessly(Hoffman,2008, p 66).
OSAMA BIN LADEN’S FAILURES.
He did not manage to a global Islamist revolution aimed at ending USA influence in Muslim countries, overthrowing regimes allied with Washington. Global Islamist revolution was the primary objective for the several attacks he did, but it did not come to pass.
He was not able to convince all Muslims that he was one of them and all that he did was for their religious good. In fact, most Muslims denied him especially after the September 11 attack; they distanced themselves that such actions are Muslim. For example, in Jordan, his support fell from 56 percent in 2003 to just 13 percent by 2011 according to pew research center.
CONCLUSION.
Osama bin Laden...