Bin Laden's motives and strategy are well understood but despite this understanding the world seems unable to resist his vision and he is clearly winning if not quite won.The world is becoming an even more brutal vicious place as a result.
Bin Laden wanted to live in a world run by Sharia Law.
He called for violent Jihad against 4 stated enemies of Islam - America and the West (and anyone who supports them), Jews, Shia Muslims, and Israel (to be eliminated).
Bin Laden's ideology included the concept that civilians, including women and children, are legitimate targets of jihad.
Bin Laden's overall strategy against much larger enemies such as the Soviet Union and United States was to lure them into a long war of attrition in Muslim countries, attracting large numbers of jihadists who would never surrender. He believed this would lead to economic collapse of the enemy nations. Al-Qaeda manuals clearly express this strategy. In a 2004 tape broadcast by al-Jazeera, Bin Laden spoke of "bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy".
Al -Queda and associated groups might be a long way from creating bankruptcy but the Jihadists are growing and Muslim Fundamentalism has real traction.
Future - Sooner or later the West will respond again because the long tentacles of Bin Laden's philosophy is only focused on our destruction. There is no stomach for overt fighting in the West right now - but Jihad will not go away and our way of life including the lives of our women and children are clearly stated as legitimate Jihad targets.
Hatred will boil and boil. (apparently acts of anti-Semitism are increasing here in the UK). Muslim's will increasing be branded as a threat. Opinions will be polarised. Civil war is not impossible to conceive.
What is the solution - ignore Jihad it will gain momentum - success will breed success. Fight it and more young Muslims will be attracted to Jihad because of a sense they are defending their religion. A nightmare.
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