Rating: 
Summary: A + grade
Review: "Through our Enemies' Eyes" provides a unique, yet entirely vital analysis of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. The author argues that the United States' war against terrorism faces massive obstacles because Americans lack a concrete understanding of our foes. Anonymous notes that the U.S. often oversimplifies bin Laden by dismissingly branding him and his allies as radical ghouls hell-bent on the destruction of America. Consequently, we fail to see bin Laden as a calm, calculating enemy who will never stop his jihad against the U.S. until it abandons its military presence in the Middle East entirely and stops supplying aid to Israel. Further, and perhaps more important, Americans, as well as the U.S. media and many of our national leaders refuse to look at bin Laden and his al Qaeda fighters as they see themselves: righteous protectors of their own branch of Islam. "Through or Enemies Eyes" thus argues that before we can wage an effective war against international terrorism, we must first try to analyze the world and our own policies and actions through the perspective of the radical Islamists. This is all not to say that Anonymous believes that we should ever sympathize with bin Laden and al Qaeda, or try to defeat them without brandishing our military might. Rather, the author believes that simply dropping an avalanche of bombs in the Middle East will not effectively combat any of the threats against America. Instead, it is key for Americans to understand that the beliefs espoused by bin Laden are not just his own. They tap into the deeply-engrained feelings of millions of Muslims worldwide. It is in this respect that the author well demonstrates that the pervasive influence of terrorism cannot be stopped by capturing or killing bin Laden. Instead it will take much greater time, effort, and even understanding. The book is most effective in giving the reader a look into bin Laden's own psyche by analyzing his biography, his actions, and many of his own quotes. By doing so, Anonymous demonstrates that bin Laden does not view himself as blood-thirsty; rather, he sees himself as a holy warrior merely working to protect Islam. Therefore, his attacks against the U.S. and its allies are essentially ends justifying the means: a way for Islam to defend itself against what bin Laden perceives as oppression by the U.S., Israel, and other countries. I found this aspect of the book fascinating. To see bin Laden through the lenses of hundreds of his own speeches and quotations provided a picture of the al Qaeda leader that is generally not common in mainstream media coverage. If there is one flaw to this book it is that while there is much discussion of the problems, very little in the way of proposed solutions. I understand that setting out solutions to specter of terrorism in a chapter is a Gordian task, no doubt about that. But what solutions the author does discuss at the end of the book are a little bit wanting. In the end, however, I suppose that this is to be expected. Throughout the text the author suggests continuously that he is trying to educate Americans to the complexity of the terrorism problem, and not necessarily craft a panacea. Still, Anonymous' next book, "Imperial Hubris" (due out in July 2004) apparently sets several proposed solutions as the author perceives them. I look forward to its release. "Through our Enemies' Eyes" is a very important book. It provides a new perspective for analyzing the war on terrorism. It possesses built-in credence since it is authored by an intelligence author with experience in fighting Middle Eastern terrorism. It well argues that as Americans we must refocus our efforts and perspective to eradicate terrorism and achieve ultimate victory against al Qaeda. Invading nations in the Middle East, while perhaps helpful under certain conditions, generally only bolsters Osama bin Laden's preachings to the Muslim world and does little to erase the rancor that bin Laden has fostered in millions of Muslims. I encourage anyone with an interest in learning about the roots of terrorism to check out this book. I think much of what the book argues could help Americans go a long way to destroying bin Laden and his influence on the world.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, an expertly written book on Bin Laden
Review: After reading numerous books by so-called "terrorism experts," I was worried that the bookshelves would sadly fill with ill-informed literary diarrhea about one of today's most important issues. This book, however, provides a refreshing and skillful account of the rise of bin Ladin and Sunni extremism. Unlike other authors who churn out manuscripts with little substantive experience in the matter on which they are writing, the author obviously works in the intelligence community on counterterrorism issues. Most other books about bin Ladin are nothing more than a collection of warrants and press clippings, but this book provides substantive analysis of bin Ladin's pinnacle role in the rise of global terrorism. This is by far the best book I have read on the subject and I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to have a better understanding of what the country was facing prior to September 11, 2001. It also provides an alarming look at the current threat posed by al-Qaeda and Sunni extremist elements. If you want an uplifting book about how the U.S. Government safely has its hands around the issue of terrorism, this is not the book for you. If you want to learn about what the country is facing and how menacing and developed this new adversary really is, this is the book for you. It is written for the average reader, it is not an academic opus for the over-educated.
Rating: 
Summary: Should we trust an anonymous author??
Review: As a rule, I try not to read books written by anonymous authors. The lack of courage to write one's name in this case is just a licence to spew hatred and to further the far right political agends. The use of the "scare tactics" is nothing short of revolting, if it wasn't for the great damage that it does to human relations in this time and age. This kind of crap would have been laughable if it wasn't for the total ignorance displayed in other reviews that praise such crap.
Rating:
Summary: Best bin Laden book
Review: As I have been obsessed with terrorism for some time, I have read a number of the bin Laden books. Bodansky's is not worth the paper on which it was printed; Alexander and Swetman's is not much better; Bergen's is quite good; this one is excellent. It's the first book that really tries to communicate, in the plainest terms possible, how much America is despised in other parts of the world, and how this hatred, perhaps even more than bin Laden himself, is the real impetus behind the war against the West. That this book was released by a U.S. intelligence official, and that the logical conclusion of the evidence presented in the book is that the War of Terror will never be won by force, as is the current Bush policy, it seems that this may indicate an inter-governmental struggle for the best long-term strategy for protecting America. We can drop countless bombs, we can arrest and kill bin Laden and his top advisors, but since there exist tens of thousands of individuals who have somewhat valid grievances and inspired hatred against U.S. actions abroad, it would only take one of them, with a miniscule amount of cash and a little know-how about explosive chemical combinations, to kill hundreds of Americans. The most important thing I gleaned from Enemies' Eyes was that until we confront the issues that inspire such hatred against us, we will never be safe from terror. Please read this book.
Rating:
Summary: A + grade
Review: Book was new as posted and the delivery was immediate thanks a bunch...
Rating:
Summary: What I Saw on TV convinced me
Review: I "saw" the author on TV earlier this week (his face disguised and voice altered)and his answers to the ditsy interviewer's questions convinced me to pick up this book. It explains far more than our media ever could about how the hatred we see in the eyes of those Islamic groups came to be, and why America and the West are the targets of their hatred. Many of his fellow Islamics consider Osama bin Laden to be their version of our Revolutionary era leaders - leading them in a just and holy war against a tyrannical government. Yet we see them as "radicals" and "terrorists". If you want a fascinating look at both sides of an issue that will dominate our news and lives for years to come, you cannot do better that Anonymous' "Through Our Enemies Eyes". Here's hoping our own government leaders will read it and absorb some of the knowlege that this book imparts!!!
Rating:
Summary: A truly enlightened author
Review: I am a colleague of the author and, on behalf of myself and several of my co-workers, wanted to congratulate and commend him for writing this book. The previous reviews say it all and the book is all the more real by knowing how long and hard the author has worked on this issue throughout his career.
Rating:
Summary: Agree
Review: I can't add anything to Jerry and Tomecide's reviews. I just wanted to interject my two cents by profusely agreeing with their assessments of the book. Through Our Enemies' Eyes is a great book.
Rating:
Summary: What America Needs to Realize
Review: I initially heard about this book through a friend. At first, I thought it was going to be another typical book about Islam and how all Muslims are terrorists. But no, I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not done reading this book yet, but so far, it's anything BUT what Americans hear about Muslims through President Bush. President Bush calls people like Osama, "FREEDOM HATING" ... come on now, American people, how IGNORANT can someone get?! What's even more sad is that many of you Americans actually hang on to every last word of Bush's and praise him as though he is GOD. Bush talks about being against abortion and valuing human life, yet what is it called going to Iraq and killing thousands of soldiers and civilians? Is that not called murder, but in a different sense?
Where do we draw the line between terror and non-terror? Why are Americans not called terrorists for funding Israel annually with 3 billion dollars, and helping them kill millions of Palestinians, yet Muslims who are tired of seeing their people killed daily are? And you want to talk about suicide bombers? The Palestinians are FORCED to do this because they do not have an army as big and powerful as the Israeli army.
Sadly, Americans will be in more danger, if this same president remains in office for yet another 4 years. He is a man so ignorant that he actually sincerely believes Osama has declared a jihad against Americans because he "HATES" freedom! It's more like the opposite: Osama WANTS freedom for Muslims and is tired of seeing them persecuted. What is happening to Muslims in the Middle East today is no different than the Holocaust, except this time, the Jews aren't the victims, the Muslims are, and many people are turning a blind eye.
Another important note, I have read the reviews and some of you say that you didn't like this book, because the author kept his name anonymous so thus, what he says shouldn't be considered credible. Obviously, you people are the same people who believe everything you hear on the news at FACE VALUE. During the time this book was published, Anonymous was still a senior U.S. intelligence official and thus, the Bush Administration forbide him to use his real name. It's not because he felt he could write anything and get away with it, without anyone knowing his name. If you're going to disregard a book and its credibility, please have more of a basis to disregard it, rather than your own ignorance of, "Well, he didn't write down his real name, therefore, I'm not going to read it."
Our world is slowly coming to an end, and if Bush doesn't get out of office [which, I must add, he ILLEGALLY forced his way into office - Gore was supposed to win in 2000], we are doomed as a society. Please people, get out of your state of ignorance. These "terrorists" are not freedom-hating. They simply want the same freedom we Americans have been endowed with. And you want to talk about terrorists? The American government is the biggest terrorist of them all. We attack any country that doesn't have a democratic government like ours and then claim we're "freeing" them. PLEASE! What would we all do if Sadam had invaded America and killed Bush, saying he wanted to FREE us?
It's time to wake up and see we're killing off our own people and with Bush in office, this jihad will continue and America will be more at risk for another terrorist attack. I recommend this book to any intellectual, open-minded person who is ready to know the truth about this war on terror. For all you people who don't meet those qualifications, go ahead and listen to your redneck president who believes these killings are all a part of Muslims being so "freedom hating."
Rating:
Summary: A forboding of what lays ahead for the West
Review: I rarely agree with Newt Gingrich on anything -- see his review below -- but this time, I find myself in rare concurrence with him. A number of sources have identified "Anonymous" as Michael Scheuer, a CIA agent disgruntled with the way the Bush Administration has handled the so-called "War on Terror." On a number of TV appearances, he's appeared in shadow because one of the conditions for writing this book, and its sequel "Imperial Hubris," was that he remains unidentified. Regardless of whether it is Scheuer or not, "Through Our Enemies' Eyes" makes a very important contribution to the debate about the role of the United States and its NATO allies in the battle to crush Osama Bin Laden; and even more bleakly, one makes the assessment that this book, largely written before 9/11 and long before the Second Gulf War, correctly predicted a second war against Saddam Hussein would be a hopeless quagmire -- and a needless distraction against the real enemy, terrorism in all its forms whether sponsored by al Qaeda, the IRA, Aum Shinrikyo or anyone else. The author's basic thrust is that to understand why the rest of the world hates America so much, the real question that should be asked is, "Why DOESN'T the world hate America?" The reason is essentially the same one that Michael Moore gives in his movies "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" -- America's support of the corrupt regimes in the Arab world while pretending to promote peace and democracy elsewhere. Arabs, says the CIA agent, do want freedom and democracy. But they want liberation on their terms. We just can't "impose" democratic norms on a country and hope for the best as some right-wing analyists claim. It's just not that simple. To think that it is and hope they will welcome us with open arms is like hoping for pie in the sky. It just won't happen. It doesn't help matters that OPEC nations got super rich during the 1970's after the Yom Kippur War then squandered the Petrodollars building mega-projects of little value and pocketing the rest while running their countries into huge debts and their subjects into oppression. While this was going on, a demographic time bomb occurred in the Middle East. It is such that whereas we in the West finally mastered birth control to the point where the largest segment of the population in the next few years will be senior citizens; in their part of the world, a majority of people are under 30, very well educated (contrary to Western media claims), unemployed, and extremely restless. It also doesn't help when one considers that Osama Bin Laden, who was trained as a counterterrorist by the Americans against the then Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan -- training perhaps paid for by the CIA itself -- offered to redeploy his allies in the Mujahidin, nearly one hundred thousand of them, to fight against Saddam Hussein when he attacked Kuwait in 1990. The Saudi Arabian government, instead, turned to the Americans for help; and in that moment Osama's greatest friend became his mortal enemy. If this sounds like the American Patriot's gripe against King George III during the Revolutionary War, that's exactly the point the author makes. The real enemy, of course, was the British Parliament and the then Prime Minister, Lord North; but the Revolutionaries declared war against the King to make an example they were trying to create a new society based on "inalienable" principles. In the war, a lot of issues got muddled into the mix, such as the fact they weren't fighting for freedom for the slaves. So it is, seemingly, with Al Qaeda. While we in the West see the Arab-Israeli conflict, the war in Iraq and the war against terrorism among others as entirely separate issues; many Muslims, and especially Arabs, see them as being linked all together, says the author. They see the borders drawn after World War I as being artificial creations of the British and the Americans and thus a slap in the face against Islam. They see Western support of the State of Israel and attempts to neutralize or even eliminate Yasser Arafat as a slap in the face against Islam. They see the long-standing American presence in the Gulf region as a slap in the face against Islam. In order to win the so-called "War on Terror," therefore, it's not enough to say we have higher and better principles. We have to see things their way, and if necessary, fight the war not on Western terms, but theirs. This point from the author makes it clear this is indeed a totally different kind of war, but not for the reasons we've been told by the mainstream press and certain governments. This is not going to be a simple mop-up job. It's going to be a long, dangerous and protracted fight. No matter who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, 10 Downing Street, 24 Sussex Drive, the Elysée Palace and all the other official residences in NATO and our allies around the world, the first step to stamping out terrorism is to address the root causes. Since we have ignored their basic demands for far too long and have coddled the Sheiks and Emirs instead, it's little wonder why Osama Bin Laden has been so successful in offering simple solutions to his kind. Therefore, it should be no surprise whatsoever the Twin Towers didn't fall sooner than they did. Like the Patriots, who didn't know if they'd win or lose, so too have al Qaeda and its sympathizers "mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor." So must we again, in all countries around the world, says this book, and stick to our message unequivocated and without giving our enemies a chance to point out our hypocrisies, if we have a hope in Heaven of living in a world of Peace in the Age of Aquarius. The author's message, while bleak, is also one of hope that that glorious day will come --although, the way the war is being fought, it will take much longer than we've hoped.
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