Winner of the 2004 Arthur Ross Book Award from the Council on Foreign RelationsFrom two of the world’s foremost experts on the new terrorism comes the definitive book on the rise of al-Qaeda and America’s efforts to combat the most innovative and dangerous terrorist group ever. Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon trace the growth of radical Islam from its medieval origins and, drawing on their years of counter-terrorism work at the National Security Council, provide essential insights into the thinking of Usama bin Laden and his followers. With unique authority, they analyze why America was unable to defend itself against this revolutionary threat on September 11, 2001, why bin Laden’s apocalyptic creed is gaining ground in the Islamic world, and what the United States must do to stop the new terror.
Steven Simon Bücher
There have been five central crises in America's post-World War II engagement with the Middle East, and the Obama administration now faces a sixth. The challenges posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions and the possibility of Israeli airstrikes to counter them threaten any remaining hopes for peace in the region. This account delves into the complex connections between Iran's nuclear issue, the likelihood of an Israeli preventive strike, the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, and President Obama’s attempts to reshape U.S. relations with the Muslim world. The authors, a former senior official from President Clinton's National Security Council and an expert in international politics, present a clear overview of the technical and political aspects of Iran's nuclear program and the diplomatic efforts to address it. They argue that Israel's anxiety over Iran's nuclear threat, coupled with its approach to the Palestinians, is damaging its alliance with the U.S. Meanwhile, Tehran is taking advantage of the fears of Arab regimes regarding a nuclear Iran, alongside the anger of the Arab public over the Palestinian situation and Israel's nuclear dominance. This critical juncture poses significant risks, as the combination of the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate and Iran's nuclear pursuits threatens to destabilize U.S. interests in the region and challenge Obama's presidency. This analysis is essential for policymakers and anyone interested in gl