Scheuer does not disappoint here in his biography of bin Laden. The work highlights primary sources and dispels common misconceptions about bin Laden perpetuated by the naive and misguided Obama regime.

Scheuer outlines five narratives about Osama: The "Old Hands" Narrative, The "Former Comrades" Narrative, The Riyadh Narrative, The Imperialist Narrative, and The "bin Laden Experts" Narratives. Scheuer does not agree with any of these narratives but his biography does attempt to give weight to what bin Laden actually said and did in the bin Laden era. Some of the best known works on bin Laden, Steve Coll's account on the family for example, is taken to task for quoting extensively from Osama's enemies, while downplaying what bin Laden has stated himself (pp. 19-20). Bin Laden provides an Islamist framework to extend the reach of an international, movement although Scheuer stops short of maintaining that bin Laden could usher in a Caliphate. Based on the evidence provided by Scheuer though it is conceivable.

The most important element of the work is as a corrective though of the commonplace, though mistaken narratives.

Chechnya, pp. 67, 73, 180

An interesting biography of bin Laden by the former head of the CIA bin Laden Unit. Scheuer believes the West continually underestimates and demonizes bin Laden rather then attempting to understand his motives, causing the West to be more vulnerable. This isn't a book you can enjoy, but it's a good book to read if you want to understand the continuing "war on terror." While a good book, I don't think it equals Scheuer's earlier, Imperial Hubris or Marching Toward Hell, both of which I highly recommend.

Bad timing in that the book was released just a few months before OBL's death. Still worth reading however. ( )

Whether as man or myth, arguably no one since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has more profoundly affected American daily life than Osama bin Laden. As author Michael Scheuer argues cogently in his new biography of bin Laden, since his formal declaration of war against the United States in 1996, bin Laden has deliberately drawn America into armed conflicts of varying durations but substantial costs in Africa, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Since past is present's prologue, likely bin Laden will goad further American military action in the turmoils currently roiling north Africa and the Middle East. Using a plethora of authoritative sources, including most importantly the words and writings of bin Laden himself, Scheuer demonstrates that bin Laden attempts these manipulations to lure America into ruinous wars where victory is ever elusive but the prolonged loss of American blood and treasure is assured. In this concise and well-written book, former chief of the CIA's bin Laden unit Scheuer presents a compelling argument that American political, military and media leaders are engaged in mortal combat with a fabricated enemy of their own creation and preference, instead of with bin Laden himself. Scheuer's book is a valiant effort to present bin Laden the man, rather than the phantasm he's become in many American minds. Only when America understands the man and his true motives, strengths and limitations, says Scheuer, can America engage and defeat bin Laden in realistic and definitive terms. As America finds itself mired in the second decade of a multi-front Al Qaeda War bin Laden began during the Clinton administration, Scheuer's book should be mandatory reading both for anyone curious why this war rages on without seeming end, and for American politicians and generals eager to fight the enemy they have, rather than the one they imagine. ( )

Michael Scheuer who worked in the “bin Laden” unit while with the CIA has continued is interest if not constant focus on Osama bin Laden. This is not necessarily a bad thing and in his book we have what is the first objective biography of the man who has declared war on not just the U.S.A. but on all who stand in the way of the teachings of Islam of eight hundred years ago. This includes the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I found this not to be the normal biography and read more like an intelligence briefing with the end notes being an important part of the book. We get a glimpse of Osama bin Laden the educated businessman, family man, farmer, Islamic solider and lover of nature. All that made him the intelligent and patient adversary Mr. Scheur pro-ports him to be. Along with his short biography is the author insight into the thinking and motivations of Osama bin Laden using the hundreds of pages of documents written by bin Laden himself and those close to him for his research.

We see through the writings and broadcast that Osama bin Laden has laid out his philosophy and plan of action and has done so in a way that the over one billion Muslims of the world can understand his reason based on their cultural and religious history. It is obvious that the author has tremendous respect for his subject yet knows he must be defeated. He points out many of the errors that are made by the western politicians and academia who have completely misread this man and his intentions. Though an insightful analysis and based on many facts there is still interpretations made on subjects that can only be known to the subject.

Having lived in Saudi Arabia I do know that many believe that America is a paper tiger that will leave as soon as the populace sees some casualties; as we did in Lebanon and Somalia. I do not judge these decisions for only the President, we hope, has an accurate assessment of all the facts at hand. Some of the author's assessments seem to not take account the logistical abilities that allow armies to deploy in strength. Though Osama bin Laden is the new and real threat the west faces this is a conflict that has been going on since the founding of Islam...and between other factions as far back as history has been recorded.

The author also seems to expect the reader to have a fundamental understanding of the players that have also been involved for over a decade in this conflict but it does shed some light on the man who is Osama bin Laden. An interesting overview on this complex man whose plans according to the author drew the west into war on Islamic lands. ( )