Through Our Enemies Eyes

This seminal work on modern terrorism assesses the changes and continuities in Osama bin Laden's thinking since 2002. In order to win the war against terrorism, argues Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA's bin Laden Unit, we must first stop dismissing militant Muslims as "extremists" or "religious fanatics." Formulating a successful military strategy requires that we see the enemy as they perceive themselves - highly trained and motivated soldiers who believe their cause is righteous. Scheuer shows that the war has accelerated the transformation of bin Laden and al Qaeda from man and organization to, respectively, a symbol of leadership and heroism and a worldwide movement.

Table of Contents:
Preface to Revised Edition; Preface; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Part 1: Context; Chapter 1: Context for Understanding bin Laden's Aims; Part 2: Arrogance, Money, and Ideas; Chapter 2: Obstacles to Understanding bin Laden; Chapter 3: Chasing bin Laden's Money; Chapter 4: Getting to Know bin Laden: Substantive Themes of the Jihad; Chapter 5: Getting to Know bin Laden: Character Traits; Part 3: Years of Preparation; Chapter 6: The Young bin Laden, 1957-1979: Family, Education, and Religion; Chapter 7: Bin Laden and the Afghan War, 1979-1989: Family, Education, and Religion; Chapter 8: Bin Laden and the Saudis, 1989-1991: From Favorite Son to Black Sheep; Chapter 9: Bin Laden in Exile: Afghanistan and Sudan, 1991-1996; Chapter 10: Bin Laden Begins: Inciting and Waging Jihad from Sudan, 1992-1996; Part 4: War Years, 1996-2001; Chapter 11: Bin Laden Returns to Afghanistan: Getting Settled and Politicking; Chapter 12: Bin Laden in Afghanistan: Targeting America and Expanding al Qaeda; Chapter 13: Bin Laden Stands at Armageddon and Battles for His Lord; Part 5: No End in Sight; Chapter 14: What to Expect from al Qaeda; Chapter 15: Spring 2002: Where Are We? Where Are We Going?; Epilogue: "That They May Go in and Look Their Redeemer in the Face with Joy"; Epilogue to the Revised Edition; Appendix: "We Are Not Ashamed of Our Jihad": Bin Laden's Growth as an Islamic Leader and Hero after 1996; Note on Sources; Notes; Glossary; Bibliography; Index; About the Author.

About the Author :
Bestselling author Michael Scheuer is the former head of the CIA's Bin Laden Unit and has two decades of experience in national security issues related to Afghanistan and South Asia. After resigning from the agency in November 2004, he revealed his authorship of Imperial Hubris and Through Our Enemies' Eyes (Brassey's, Inc., 2002; Potomac Books, Inc., 2005), both originally published under the byline "Anonymous." Scheuer has been featured extensively on television, including 60 Minutes, and has been the focus of print media worldwide. He lives in the Washington, D.C., area.

Review :
"[Scheuer]'s examination of al Qaeda is a bracing corrective to much that has passed as analysis about the group." - CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen in the Washington Post "A masterful job at... interpreting what bin Laden is trying to tell America but that has fallen on deaf ears." - Studies in Conflict and Terrorism "Among the 'war on terrorism cognoscenti' in and around Washington, D.C., mere word-of-mouth established [Through Our Enemies Eyes] as required reading for anyone seeking to understand bin Laden, the movement that he cofounded and led, and the profound threat that it posed (and continues to pose) to the United States and to international peace. Accordingly, the book's reputation spread as a thoroughly reliable, trenchant, and commendably clear exegesis of al Qaeda's ideology, goals, and alarming ambitions.... The key to success in warfare, the Chinese strategist Sun Tzu wrote, is to 'know your enemy and you will know yourself.' In Through Our Enemies Eyes, Scheuer answers the first part of that irrefutable formulation." - From the foreword by Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow, Combating Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy, and author of Inside Terrorism "[Scheuer's] examination of al Qaeda is a bracing corrective to much that has passed as analysis about the group." - CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen in the Washington Post "A highly informative analysis." - The Washington Times "A masterful job at... interpreting what bin Laden is trying to tell America but that has fallen on deaf ears." - Studies in Conflict and Terrorism "A sobering portrait of Osama bin Laden." - The Christian Science Monitor "This is a book that all professional soldiers should read since it represents, in significant detail, the views and motivation of one of our primary adversaries, while clearly defining the severity of the ongoing threat." - Armor"