Bin Laden, Islam, & America's New War on Terrorism

This book is factual and straight to the point... the author could have easily padded the book and made it 300 pages with endless analysis and unnecessary references and proofs etc... (like most other authors do), but instead he just gave the point of view of a real arab who knows what is going on, have experienced it and knows all the history behind it... after all who are you expecting to give you the real picture of what is really going on in the middle east? the students of middle eastern affairs in the united states and france? I am confused with some of the reviews below, some were longer than the book itself... p.s. my comment excludes my opinion about the writing style which I did not care for much...

While I would never call this a balanced book, it does have its virtues. First, given how we in America tend to only hear the Israeli side, there should be some voice to the Arabic side. The book is excellently divided in chapter topics, and is a easy read.Scholars may have little use for the book, but for the lay person and college student, this is a good book. But, due to the shock to the system that an American will feel by reading this book, I recommend reading Paul Findley's THEY DARE TO SPEAK OUT first.

I must commend this author for his insightful work. Abukhalil dispels the misconceptions and irrational fear many Americans have about Islam. It also points out the numerous contradictions regarding the United States government and our concern for human rights. Check this out by all means if your a thinking person, if not continue following the flock while Dubya beats the war drum.

Lebanese scholar As'ad AbuKhalil examines the roots of the September 11th crisis, the causes for antipathy, toward the United States, and the historical relations between the US and Islamic world. AbuKahlil also reviews the backgound of US entanglement with the Middle East, and how it catalyzed the militant fundamentalist networks that came to percieve the US as the enemy. Begining with an introduction on the legacy of Western misconceptions of Islam and Arabs, the book focuses on Islamic fundamentalism and US foreign policy, and the way both polarize the world into "good and evil" and "with us or against us" world view. Drawing heavily from Arabic language sources, AbuKahlil discuses the rise of Osama bin Ladin and Al-Qa'idah, the Saudi connection, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the implications of America's New "War on Terrorism".

A short, concise, eye-opening book. My only complaint is that you can tell the author is holding back a bit. ... but it's understandable why he does, as the American public, not accustomed to hearing it, must take the truth in small doses. I highly recommend this book... it's a short, powerful read. I will probably have a nightmare tonight about this books final sentence (pun intended).