Osama Bin Laden

8 Pages 1939 Words

Osama bin Laden : America’s #1 Terrorist


Why do people resort to such violent acts as bombing,
assassinations, and hi-jacking? How do individuals and organizations
justify these acts of terror? These acts can be described as terrorist
actions. Terrorism is a growing international problem. During the
last twenty years, new terrorist groups have sprung up all over the
world. Governments have had little success in their attempts to
resolve issues in which terrorism is used. A major problem in
discussing terrorism is establishing a generally accepted definition.
Terrorism can be described as the unlawful use of fear or force to
achieve certain political, economical, or social aims (Crenshaw 523).
Because it is so hard to define, organizations like the United Nations
have had great difficulty drawing up policies against terrorism. Within
the recent century, the subject of terrorism has risen as a major
problem for all major countries. The United States is a nation that is
not exempt from terrorism but actually a key target for many terrorist
groups. A single individual, a certain group, or even governments
may commit terrorist actions. Most terrorists, unlike criminals, claim
to be dedicated to higher causes, and do not believe in personal gain.
The methods used in terrorism include threats, bombings, the
destruction of property, kidnapping, the taking of hostages,
executions, and assassinations (Crenshaw 523). There are many
reasons why political groups attempt to bring about radical change
through terrorism. People are often frustrated with their position in
society. They may in some way feel persecuted or oppressed because
or their race, religion, or they feel exploited by a government. Any
group that uses terrorist actions have very complex and powerful
reasons to engage in those activities.
In 1957 a radical Muslim by the name of Osama bin Laden was
born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He ...