The title of this thread is a bit off context with the discussion I hope will take place here, but necessary all the same.

I am reading the book Through Our Enemies Eyes , by Anonymous <-- yes that's right, and I am finding that my lack of knowledge about US foreign policy is inhibiting my ability to get what I can out of this book.


In reading this book it tells of how Osama Bin Laden and his movement claim that US foriegn policy has forced them to declare war on us. Bin Laden then goes on to claim that we were the first to strike (pre 9-11).

I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on what has lead Bin Laden to believe this... In other words what did the US do in his eyes to insight a war? Why does he see US policy as an attack on Islam?

On another note: Before people reply I want them to at least have some awareness of who Bin Laden really is. He is not an unintelligent idiot lacking faith or patience. The media and their so called 'experts' make him out to be some kind of cult leader who is funded by others to carry out dirty deeds in order to grant them this "plausable deniability." This however, is not the case. Bin Laden is a religious idealist and a martyr to his followers, he is highly patient, highly intelligent, and a highly calculating individual who really believes in what he is fighting for.

In no way am I trying to say that his acts are justified, I am simply stating a fact here. And I have found that many Americans like myself have been ignorant and mis-lead by our polititians and media to believe that Bin-Laden is this third rate incompitent who simply has decided to kill Americans because he's a "bad-guy."

I have found in my personal studies that Bin-Laden and his followers are the most dangerous people in the world right now. His philosophy is slowly harnessing the two most powerful forces in contemporary international affairs... religion and nationalism.

I'm posting this becasue I want to have a clear and diffinative understanding of my enemy; why he is attacking us, and what we have done to make him do so... and also to encourage others to research as well.

I am presently in programs that are in accredited by certain services, and I plan on fighting to secure the world from cyber-terrorism and am doing further research in cyber-warfare. However, I find it difficult when I see how ignorant so many are to the threat that faces us.

This post is made to encourage Americans to look into the threat that faces us. Hopefully, fellow Americans will be able expand thier horizons. It seems to me that many think that the western way is universal. That simply is not true at all and in fact is one of the reasons we are somewhat resented by others, I believe.

Looking forward to an informed discussion...

TR