Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New "War on Terrorism" (Open Media Series) [Paperback]

As'Ad Abukhalil (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 5, 2002 | Series: Open Media Pamphlet Series

Lebanese scholar As'ad AbuKhalil examines the roots of the September 11 crisis, the causes for antipathy toward the United States, and the historical relations between the U.S. and the Islamic world. AbuKhalil also reviews the background of U.S. entanglement with the Middle East, and how it catalyzed militant fundamentalist networks that came to perceive the United States as an enemy. Beginning with an introduction on the legacy of Western misconceptions about Islam and Arabs, the book focuses on Islamic fundamentalism and U.S. foreign policy, and the way both polarize the world into a "good and evil" "with us or against us" view. Drawing heavily from Arabic language sources, AbuKhalil discusses the rise of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, the Saudi connection, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the regional implications of the American "War On Terrorism."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

AS’AD ABUKHALIL was born in Tyre, Lebanon. He received his B.A. and M.A. in Political Science from the American University of Beirut, and his Ph.D. in Comparative Politics from Georgetown University. AbuKhalil has taught at Georgetown, George Washington University, Tufts University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. His articles on Middle East politics and society have appeared in English, German, Spanish, and Arabic. He is professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus, and a visiting professor at UC, Berkeley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Seven Stories Press; First edition. edition (February 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583224920
• ISBN-13: 978-1583224922
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.3 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Middle East > General
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Current Events > Terrorism
  • #39 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Current Events > International

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not balanced, but useful, July 7, 2003

By 

C. Bedford Crenshaw "the Rebel Rockhopper" (Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New "War on Terrorism" (Open Media Series) (Paperback)

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.

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book from AK Press, August 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New "War on Terrorism" (Open Media Series) (Paperback)

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".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good quick read book, December 20, 2008

By 

Rouba El-Ali (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bin Laden, Islam, and America's New "War on Terrorism" (Open Media Series) (Paperback)

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...