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Summary: Not the place to start reading about Al Qaeda
Comment: Despite an early statement about being against Al Qaeda's methods, Bari Atwan shows all the signs of a supporter. If this is your first book on Al Qaeda, you'll be mislead by Bari Atwan's spin. Therefore, it's not a great place to start your reading on the topic.
Bari Atwan twists events (e.g. Marid bombing) and makes broad statements (e.g. Western governments are putting their population at risk) which generate fear and blame the West for Islamic terrorism.
His facts stand in stark contrast to the more objective but far older "Inside Al Qaeda" by Rohan Gunaratna. For example, Gunaratna speaks of the myriad causes of Osama bin Laden leaving Afghanistan and Sudan in the 1990s while Bari Atwan makes it seem that bin Laden was simply deserted by his former friends.
His legitimacy as an author on this topic is heavily based on having gained access to bin Laden in 1996 (at bin Laden's invitation which should tell you something) and his 30 years of reporting on the Middle East. This closeness, however, effects his ability to question bin Laden's actions. One example is the murder of Abdullah Azzam. Many sources blame this on a difference of opinion with bin Laden about the direction of Al Qaeda. However, Bari Atwan fails even to hint that bin Laden may have been connected.
Even the summary of Islamic history is designed to push an agenda. He talks of Mohammed settling in Medina with three Jewish tribes to show his tolerance. He omits to say that two of the tribes were expelled and the third was whiped out to the man, woman and child.
If you're a fan of the Islamic world, as I am, you'll enjoy the new, updated insights this book provides. It is not, however, a probing analysis of the Islamic legitimacy and tactics of Al Qaeda and it's leader. if you read the book with an appreciation that it contains a subtle spin that pushes an agenda which blames the West, you'll extract a more honest impression of Al Qaeda. If your looking for your first book about the subject, try Gutaratna for a more balanced view.
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Summary: Well-written, Well-researched.
Comment: A well-researched (including a 1996 visit to bin Laden in the mountains of Afghanistan) and well-written (seemingly free from bias) book. Why should you read it? In the words of the author: "There was a historical inevitability about the rise of bin Laden, who has become for many the figurehead of a resurgent Muslim identity. For many people in the West this is unthinkable, as there he is presented and perceived as an evil terrorist. Yet it is important to understand how he is viewed by his admirers in the Islamic world. How can the very real threat that al-Qa'da's ideology represents to global security be countered if its identity and nature remains shrouded in obscurtiy?"
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Summary: The Secret History of Al-Qaida
Comment: Abdel Bari Atwan has made a genuine contribution to our understanding of the complex issues associated with Al-Qaida. The book has the considerable dual merit of being very readable whilst being informative in depth. The author is at pains to be objective in his appraisal of the situation and, as a consequence, the book is relevant to both Muslim and non-Muslim readers. Likewise, there is no particular political stance but, notwithstanding, one can only hope that those who make decisions on our behalf are influenced either directly or indirectly by Abdel Bari Atwan's analysis and, more importantly, his conclusions.
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Summary: Details
Comment: This book, is meant as the title says, with a lot of knowledge of the subject. The author is perhaps the most qualified author of such a book as he has been in the field of Arabic and Islamic news coverage and analysis for decades as well as he have personally met with Bin laden in Tora Bora caves, it is useful and can be used as a reference.
The author is also rather funny in the way he describes his adventuress trip to Bin Laden and the fears he encountered; he also distinguished between the legitimate Jihad resistance and terrorism, the book goes deep into the war in Iraq and the long term strategy of alqaeda to defeat the Americans on Arabic territory. This book is a must read.
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