Bin Laden: Behind the Mask of the Terrorist

This book chronicles the son of a great Saudi-Arabian self made millionaire who uses his connections in the Arab world, as well as around the globe, to establish the most feared terror organization in the history of mankind. This book looks at the person Osama Bin Laden and not just the image that is portrayed of him. From his early years, through the beginnings of his Islamic fundamentalist beginnings, through his current state of refugee, Adam Robinson looks at the life struggles of Osama, the current struggles of Islam, as well as the all the related historical and current events relating to Bin Laden. Although he is in no way sympathetic to Osama Bin Laden, Adam Robinson does exactly what he intended to do in this book, he shows the reader the man behind the mask. While providing a great deal factual information concerning the early stages of the Saudi state, and chronicling the past eighty years of Middle East history, Adam Robinson is able to show the reader how this man behind the mask fits in to, and has effected the course of world history. When finished with the book the reader is left with knowledge of a person and his surroundings, not just the image that is portrayed of Osama and the Arab world by the media. The concepts and the amount of information is undergraduate level or above. Some basic knowledge of Middle Eastern history and geography is necessary to fully absorb the book's contents however.

Osma Bin Laden presented himself as a freedom fighter taking on the giant power of the U.S., and representing the causes of Muslims everywhere; but this new biography of Osma Bin Laden charts his infamous progress from a rich kid into a terrorist determined to bring jihad to the U.S. Members of his family contributed information and rounded out Robinson's independent research, resulting an a biography which examines the making of the man and his network. A lively, intriguing coverage.

This is the most detailed and up-to-date biography of the world's leading terrorist. Osama bin Laden comes from a super-rich, well-connected Yemeni/Saudi family; he was traditionally raised and is desert-hardened; he was a playboy for a time (sex, drink, and drugs), but then returned to fundamentalist roots; he possesses great administrative skills and charisma, which he first put to use in fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. Why his great hatred of both America and the Saudi royal family? What was the insult that most motivates him? The author penetrates into Osama's psychology, with the benefit of exclusive interviews with many bin Laden family members. Osama spent 10 years in creating Al-Qaeda, the network of volunteer "freedom fighters"; and another 10 in organizing what has been called "Terror Inc." - a modern, global enterprise. Does Osama's terror have a rational goal after all? What would satisfy Osama? You'd be surprised at the author's conclusion. Every public library, scholarly library, embassy, international police agency, secret service, political scholar, and informed citizen should take a look at this book. After all, Osama is presumably still out there, armed and dangerous. Bombs do not seem to have brought him to justice, so maybe a more thoughtful approach is called for. I think some clues for finding him may be found in this book.