Bin Laden: Why he did it

[Ranger2]

One thing I noticed in the weeks and even months after his death, was that all the newspapers and tv programs started running biographies and documentaries about the world's most wanted terrorist. Hour long broadcasts showed in detail the man who plotted and carried out 9/11, as well as other terrible terrorist acts.

One question was in the limelight: Why did he do it? Was it something that America did to him or a personal grudge? Did something traumatic happen to Bin Laden as a boy?

Or was he simply a diseased maniac?

When we learn about WWII, we always have the same answer as to why Hitler started the Holocaust: Because he was an insane, hateful man. We don't say that Hitler was provoked into killing six million because he was so traumatized by his mother's death, or from Germany losing WWI. The fact is, we teach in schools that there was no rational explanation for the Holocaust or WWII and it was simply the ideas of a diseased nutjob. And I'm not dismissing this reason; there was no real reason for the Holocaust. It wasn't anything that the Jews or Allied Powers did to Hitler. It was his own diseased mind.

So why would Osama Bin Laden be any different? This Saudi nobleman whose family got rich from American dollars fled to Afghanistan where he was helped yet again by America and the West to free Afghanistan from the Soviets. Unlike the Soviet Union, where there was no freedom of religion, America had (and still has) freedom of religion where Muslims can pray safely. Why would he attack the US? Because we left and somehow created a power vaccuum? We didn't help the Afghanis in the 1980s to replace the Soviets as occupiers.

What I don't understand is this search that somehow, somewhere, we did something to Bin Laden to make him hate us. That somehow there must be a rational explanation for why he ordered people to hijack planes and crash them into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and almost into the White House, or to enslave the Afghani people.

Why did Osama Bin Laden form Al-Qaeda and do what he did? Because he was a diseased maniac like Hitler. There are people who do not need logical explanations to commit crimes. They do not need to be provoked. They do not have to be rational. Bin Laden did what he did because he was crazy. Case closed.

It is these people who also carry guns and have large followings. And trying to be understanding, trying to understand why they did what they did, is an attempt to justify murder.

[Warforger]

Erm isn't war in general just trying to justify murder in the first place?

Anyway, have you read Bin Laden's messages? It provides insight onto his motives and makes him make more sense. Basically, he was a fan of America at one point, but the constant Middle Eastern conflicts they were involved in like the attack on Lebanon and support of corrupt and oppressive dictators like say Mubarak or the Saudi family, he was tired of America suppressing what the Middle Eastern Muslims seeked. He was inspired to do 9/11 when he saw towers being bombed in Lebanon by Israel supported by the United States, basiclly misery loves company (i.e. wanted to spread the pain he felt for his fellow Muslims to the USA hence why he did not feel bad for the attack), he wanted to pull America into an expensive guerrilla war so that it grows such a burden on them they'd have to pull out of the Middle East, and when that happens an Islamic state will appear all over the Middle East and the golden age of Islam was be brought back (basically bringing back the Caliphates and the prosperity they had).

[SolInvictus]

At 8/7/11 11:58 AM, Warforger wrote: ...and when that happens an Islamic state will appear all over the Middle East and the golden age of Islam was be brought back (basically bringing back the Caliphates and the prosperity they had).

don't forget that he thought God would love him and his so much they would get a bonus round and set up a global Islamic state/community.

i'm curious if the laxity and self-indulgence of the Caliphs and their rule ever bothered him?

[Camarohusky]

Saying "he's just insane" is a vastly simplistic view of humans and the world.

Something had to trigger this. Now, noone is disputing that it takes a madman to do what both he and Hitler did, but madmen don't just do bad things. Most sociopathic people still require triggers.

[Iron-Hampster]

no one wants to believe they were wrong in any way.

[Ranger2]

At 8/7/11 02:02 PM, Iron-Hampster wrote: no one wants to believe they were wrong in any way.

So then were there any reasons for Hitler to hate the Jews? Or was it simply the result of bad ideas and a crazy mind?

[Iron-Hampster]

At 8/7/11 06:50 PM, Ranger2 wrote:

At 8/7/11 02:02 PM, Iron-Hampster wrote: no one wants to believe they were wrong in any way.

So then were there any reasons for Hitler to hate the Jews? Or was it simply the result of bad ideas and a crazy mind?

it wasn't our fault he thought that he should kill the jews, it was our fault he came into power. Our policies destroyed Germany's economy making political extremism more attractive to people.

[Warforger]

At 8/7/11 06:50 PM, Ranger2 wrote:

At 8/7/11 02:02 PM, Iron-Hampster wrote: no one wants to believe they were wrong in any way.

So then were there any reasons for Hitler to hate the Jews? Or was it simply the result of bad ideas and a crazy mind?

Your logic boggles my mind "Hitler killed Jews because he was an insane madman! Therefore Bin Laden did the same because he was also an insane madman! " how are the two connected in any way?

Hitler killed the Jews because he was huge on Eugenics, he wanted to create a genetically pure society of Aryans and Jews were inferior. Not to mention taking advantage of an old hatred for a scapegoat.

Osama Bin Laden committed terrorist attacks because he wanted to get back at the United States public, they did not feel the pain of the Muslims they bombarded and they frankly didn't rise up against the United States actions, so he wanted to get back at the Americans for what they didn't stop and make them feel what he felt, as well as cripple the United States.

[camobch0]

For the same three reasons people join terrorist networks, and support oppressive evil governments, and etc. for millennia.

1. They have been beat down by an "enemy" (fear), in this case, many western cultures repeatedly attacking and attempting to destroy or convert Arabs and Muslims for a thousand years. Christians repeatedly brought crusades that killed many innocent Arabs. We invaded many Arab countries to steal natural resources such as oil, minerals, and diamonds, destroying lives in the process. We manipulated the people of the Middle East to steal what is theirs. And the West has a very long and extensive history of doing this (KIlling and stealing land and items from most of the Native Americans, a lot of Arabs, a shitload of asians, an assload of Africans, I could go on.) So there is that.

2. They were raised to believe that these terrible things were right (more fear). Great example: A lot of people born well before the American Civil Rights movement were brought up very harshly to believe that black people were horrible and evil. Many of them held those racist beliefs well beyond the passage of legal equality. Even nowadays, so many American children are being brought up to believe that all Arabs are evil and devil-spawn, as well as blacks and gays. These prejudices that are forced into a child's mind from so early on until they are grown ups are extremely hard to get rid of later on in life.

3. MONEY. Being with the bad guys usually means a lot of money and women to rape. Maybe not the money so much in Osama's case, but definitely the rape-able women. Why do you think Republicans are trying to keep us in Afghanistan and get us into more wars, then distract the average American by destroying our economy? So that the private contracting companies that they are either working at, or receiving massive campaign contributions and personal payoffs from will keep getting them a lot of money. With simple distractions or lies, these guys make huge money.

Osama and most modern political terrorists fit in with the first two. The third option is mostly what politicians/businessmen run on.

[satanbrain]

He did it because he belived in it, hs belief is irrational and unreasoned, he doesn't need a reason or a motive to act by it. This belief would someday have been burst, Osama bin laden would've found another trigger to justify it. He based his belief on something irrational and then attempts to justify it through acting by it. Surely, you could blame yourself for triggering his actions but anything you would've done less than killing yourself wouldn't have been sufficient for him since his beliefs are not based on logic.

[Ranger2]

At 8/7/11 08:16 PM, Warforger wrote:

Your logic boggles my mind "Hitler killed Jews because he was an insane madman! Therefore Bin Laden did the same because he was also an insane madman! " how are the two connected in any way?

They ARE connected. We teach in history class that Hitler did what he did because he was evil and crazy; yet somehow in this day and age, we are looking for rationale why another Hitler (Bin Laden) did what he did.

Osama Bin Laden committed terrorist attacks because he wanted to get back at the United States public, they did not feel the pain of the Muslims they bombarded and they frankly didn't rise up against the United States actions, so he wanted to get back at the Americans for what they didn't stop and make them feel what he felt, as well as cripple the United States.

What are you talking about? We helped Bin Laden in the 1980s; it was the Soviets that were bombing the Afghanis. We were also freeing another Muslim country, Kuwait, from Iraq. Why didn't Bin Laden go after Russia or Iraq in 2001?

[Ranger2]

At 8/7/11 07:11 PM, Iron-Hampster wrote:

it wasn't our fault he thought that he should kill the jews, it was our fault he came into power. Our policies destroyed Germany's economy making political extremism more attractive to people.

Iron-Hampster, I think you're misunderstanding my point. I'm saying that there is no one to blame for why Hitler decided to kill the Jews, just as there is no one to blame but Bin Laden for 9/11.

[Ranger2]

At 8/7/11 08:44 PM, camobch0 wrote: For the same three reasons people join terrorist networks, and support oppressive evil governments, and etc. for millennia.

1. They have been beat down by an "enemy" (fear), in this case, many western cultures repeatedly attacking and attempting to destroy or convert Arabs and Muslims for a thousand years. Christians repeatedly brought crusades that killed many innocent Arabs. We invaded many Arab countries to steal natural resources such as oil, minerals, and diamonds, destroying lives in the process. We manipulated the people of the Middle East to steal what is theirs. And the West has a very long and extensive history of doing this (KIlling and stealing land and items from most of the Native Americans, a lot of Arabs, a shitload of asians, an assload of Africans, I could go on.) So there is that.

So therefore all of the West is to blame? The United States freed Kuwait in the 90s, freed Afghanistan in the 80s, and we never colonized the Middle East. If anything, bin Laden should've attacked Europe. There is no rationale for what he did; either that or he doesn't know jack about history.

2. They were raised to believe that these terrible things were right (more fear). Great example: A lot of people born well before the American Civil Rights movement were brought up very harshly to believe that black people were horrible and evil. Many of them held those racist beliefs well beyond the passage of legal equality. Even nowadays, so many American children are being brought up to believe that all Arabs are evil and devil-spawn, as well as blacks and gays. These prejudices that are forced into a child's mind from so early on until they are grown ups are extremely hard to get rid of later on in life.

Amazing. That doesn't make it rational. Just because you are taught something at birth does not mean it is rational.

3. MONEY. Being with the bad guys usually means a lot of money and women to rape. Maybe not the money so much in Osama's case, but definitely the rape-able women. Why do you think Republicans are trying to keep us in Afghanistan and get us into more wars, then distract the average American by destroying our economy? So that the private contracting companies that they are either working at, or receiving massive campaign contributions and personal payoffs from will keep getting them a lot of money. With simple distractions or lies, these guys make huge money.

You are delving into conspiracy theories. I'm not going to argue with someone who thinks that all wars are started by Republicans in order to enter a new world order. Your arguments for number 3 make absolutely no sense. I'm a Democrat and I know that the "Bush started the war cuz he's evil and luvs oil" idea is false.

I'm sorry, now I'm just realizing the absolute stupidity of your argument. The Republicans get us into more wars and then destroy the economy (which allows us to start wars, you know) to distract the American people? If you're going to argue, argue with facts, not conspiracy theories. Know why they're called conspiracy theories? Because if they were true they'd be called FACT.

I also notice how you conveniently left out Obama, who increased the troop surge in Afghanistan and bombed Libya with NATO, as well as invaded Pakistan to take out bin Laden. I know you're a die-hard Democrat but don't pretend like one party is perfect and the other isn't. Democrats like you give Democrats like me a bad name.

[Warforger]

At 8/7/11 11:59 PM, Ranger2 wrote:

At 8/7/11 08:16 PM, Warforger wrote:

Your logic boggles my mind "Hitler killed Jews because he was an insane madman! Therefore Bin Laden did the same because he was also an insane madman! " how are the two connected in any way?

They ARE connected. We teach in history class that Hitler did what he did because he was evil and crazy; yet somehow in this day and age, we are looking for rationale why another Hitler (Bin Laden) did what he did.

So basiclly what you're saying is that Bin Laden wanted to fufill his dream of becoming the next Hitler and that was his and his only motivation. Even though he has constantly said in his messages that he wants to get rid of US influence in the Middle East, and has said to our face that it's a war of attrition that's getting worse for the USA.

What are you talking about? We helped Bin Laden in the 1980s; it was the Soviets that were bombing the Afghanis.

Yes, he was cool with that, but when he saw the US support of the invasion of Lebanon, the US's support of corrupt dictatorships existing in almost every Middle Eastern country etc. etc. he himself stated that he constantly tried to not think down on the US for a while but when he saw Lebanon being bombed he couldn't hold it back.

But it's just as good a moment to point out the media often focuses on things America does right and often ignores bad things they do overseas, like say what they did in the 50's with Guatemala, 70's Chile, 50's Iran etc. etc.

We were also freeing another Muslim country, Kuwait, from Iraq. Why didn't Bin Laden go after Russia or Iraq in 2001?

Because they weren't ruining the entire Middle Eastern world. Russia is no longer a super power and we can thank Bin Laden for that, oh yah and by the way the only Middle Eastern nation that approved of the 2003 invasion of Iraq was Kuwait.

[aviewaskewed]

At 8/7/11 11:43 AM, Ranger2 wrote: One thing I noticed in the weeks and even months after his death, was that all the newspapers and tv programs started running biographies and documentaries about the world's most wanted terrorist. Hour long broadcasts showed in detail the man who plotted and carried out 9/11, as well as other terrible terrorist acts.

Yes, that's called sensationalism and taking advantage for ratings son.

One question was in the limelight: Why did he do it? Was it something that America did to him or a personal grudge? Did something traumatic happen to Bin Laden as a boy?

I think it's a reasonable question.

Or was he simply a diseased maniac?

That's frankly too easy a thing to say. If you've taken Psych 101 you know that even a "normal" person is going to have some hang ups and issues. Unless we're talking about something like schizophrenia, there are very few "diseased maniacs" out there that you can simply say have a disorder or psychological problem with no traceable reason.

When we learn about WWII, we always have the same answer as to why Hitler started the Holocaust: Because he was an insane, hateful man.

Oh really? Because see, I actually bothered to do a little better research then that and I'm going to call bullshit on this easy, reductionist idea. That's not to defend Hitler or his ideas, but someone who is an anti-semite and has the sort of history of rejection, failure, and abuse that Hitler has is not simply an "insane, hateful man" that's just too pat a label.

We don't say that Hitler was provoked into killing six million because he was so traumatized by his mother's death, or from Germany losing WWI.

We don't, but if we actually care to understand the subject, we might see how those could be contributing factors in the overall picture of his psychology. We also might see how he used the latter thing as an "in" for promoting his ideals and assisted him in getting people to go along with it.

The fact is, we teach in schools that there was no rational explanation for the Holocaust or WWII and it was simply the ideas of a diseased nutjob.

Do we? That's not what I learned in the schools I went to actually. That's the trouble with all encompassing blanket statements, just takes one guy like me to poke a hole in them.

And I'm not dismissing this reason; there was no real reason for the Holocaust. It wasn't anything that the Jews or Allied Powers did to Hitler. It was his own diseased mind.

It was his fucked up mind, yes. But even though we cannot say what happened in WW1 works as a way of JUSTIFYING his actions, we can see where what happened to him and his country by his/their participation in the war can CONTRIBUTE and in fact help MOTIVATE his actions. Again, you are reducing a complex subject that reiqures multiple facts down to this bite sized label that makes you comfortable. It's a bit dishonest, even if it's unintentionally so.

So why would Osama Bin Laden be any different?

Well, cause he isn't Hitler for one. If I rob a bank, then you rob a bank...does the fact that we both committed the same crime mean that we did it for the exact same reasons?

This Saudi nobleman whose family got rich from American dollars fled to Afghanistan where he was helped yet again by America and the West to free Afghanistan from the Soviets.

This is true.

Unlike the Soviet Union, where there was no freedom of religion, America had (and still has) freedom of religion where Muslims can pray safely.

He's not a citizen, you also seem to think that all Muslims seem to identify as one. That's like saying all Christians or all Jews identify as one. Also have you taken a look around lately? With all this hysteria I really have to wonder how "safe" Muslims feel in certain states these days.

Why would he attack the US? Because we left and somehow created a power vaccuum?

Well, that's part of it. Another part was his very fundamentalist and extreme religious views and his desire to see anyone or anything that conflicts with or "threatens" those views eliminated. Oh look! It's not so simple when you start looking at the facts now is it?

We didn't help the Afghanis in the 1980s to replace the Soviets as occupiers.

That is very true, we just wanted the soviets out, and we really didn't care who took over as long as they were US friendly. We've done that a lot in our history. That's why it's hilarious when President's order attacks and hits on dictator's that other prior administrations installed and say with a straight face "we don't support or like dictators". Loltastic in all the wrong ways.

What I don't understand is this search that somehow, somewhere, we did something to Bin Laden to make him hate us.

Or, is it just that we want to understand the man, and understand whether or not there might be a way to prevent more assholes like him from rising up? No, it couldn't be that.

That somehow there must be a rational explanation for why he ordered people to hijack planes and crash them into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and almost into the White House, or to enslave the Afghani people.

Ok...who is saying "there must be a rational explanation"? The idea of psychology is not really to find the rational in all things, it is to understand, and attempt to treat, the irrational. It is to gain a better understanding of what really happens in the human mind vs. just saying "oh, he was insane". You know that's not a medical term either by the way, but a legal one? I think you're spouting out blanket statements about people's motives based on your own ignorance.

Why did Osama Bin Laden form Al-Qaeda and do what he did? Because he was a diseased maniac like Hitler.

There's similarities sure, but they aren't the same type of killer, or even necessarily have the same pathology. You really should come back to these ideas when you've taken some psych courses :)

There are people who do not need logical explanations to commit crimes.

That's true. But there ARE still explanations for why they commit crimes other then simply "duh, because they're nuts".

They do not need to be provoked.

But in cases like this, they need to FEEL or THINK they've been provoked. Certainly it seems to me Bin Laden and his ilk feel provoked.

They do not have to be rational. Bin Laden did what he did because he was crazy. Case closed.

Except that's an amazingly reductionist view and amazingly ignorant on your part. Unfortunately, the people who make all the big decisions seem to think exactly the way you do. "He insane and bad...we'll just kill him and problem solved". Yeah, cause it's always that simple and there's no reason or benefit from trying to understand what makes our enemies tick. Great attitude.

It is these people who also carry guns and have large followings. And trying to be understanding, trying to understand why they did what they did, is an attempt to justify murder.

Uh no, it really is not actually. But don't let the facts get in the way of your blanket statements, baseless assumptions, and false moral outrage. That would be a shame indeed.

[satanbrain]

At 8/8/11 01:41 AM, aviewaskewed wrote:

At 8/7/11 11:43 AM, Ranger2 wrote: And I'm not dismissing this reason; there was no real reason for the Holocaust. It wasn't anything that the Jews or Allied Powers did to Hitler. It was his own diseased mind.

It was his fucked up mind, yes. But even though we cannot say what happened in WW1 works as a way of JUSTIFYING his actions, we can see where what happened to him and his country by his/their participation in the war can CONTRIBUTE and in fact help MOTIVATE his actions. Again, you are reducing a complex subject that reiqures multiple facts down to this bite sized label that makes you comfortable. It's a bit dishonest, even if it's unintentionally so.

Could it be that once he managed to occupy territories and terrorize german (and later on everyone) citizens who opposed him he feld confident enough to commit it? Could it that when european countires conceded, let him take territories, and ignored his domestic policy his boldness was bolstered? Could it be that letting oppressors do what they want result in an offensive war waged by them instead of their placation?
Could it be that osama bin laden felt that US helped afghans, felt that because of that he could do whatever he wishes, entangled it with a religious doctrine, which considers presence of the same US soldiers in iraq blasphemy, started his "backed-up" terrorist attacks and when his terrorist attacks weren't stopped he accelerated and expanded them?

[camobch0]

Ranger2: I left out some stuff. I'm not at all defending the horrendous shit that he did. And I am NOT a democrat. I'm very liberal, but I am not an Obama supporter, and I would not vote democrat if I was of age.

[VenomKing666]

Bin Laden did 9/11 because he tought it was the right thing to do, and the moral thing to do. Because religion told him.

[lapis]

At 8/7/11 11:43 AM, Ranger2 wrote: The fact is, we teach in schools that there was no rational explanation for the Holocaust

Why did tens of millions of Europeans tacitly or not so tacitly approve of at least the deportation of all Jews and Gypsies from their midst? Were they all evil and insane? Why does a Hungarian party, Jobbik, which has partially run on an anti-Gypsy platform hold over 12% of all seats in Hungary's national parliament? Better yet, what would you say to them to convince Hungarians they should not vote for Jobbik? Don't be evil? They'd sniff at you, angry because you took no effort trying to understand their grievances. They might not even like Jobbik escept for the fact that they speak out about issues that no other party dares to touch.

If bin Laden was just a lone nut, why did thousands celebrate to the news of 9/11 in numerous Arabic cities? Why has his ideology only become more popular during the past ten years, with copycat groups springing up in Iraq, in Yemen, in the Maghreb? Why are Hamas, Hizbullah and the Muslim Brotherhood more powerful than ever despite two, arguably three wars started to kill off the capabilities of Jihadist movements?

These aren't battles that you can win if you don't understand your enemy. I'm not saying that you should agree with or justify what these groups do, but if you dismiss their arguments outright they will do the same to yours. Just sayin'. Else, twenty years and well over a trillion dollars of military spending later you'll be wondering why whenever you think you killed one of these movements, another one has sprung up to take its place.

[Bantun]

I don't believe that anyone can give a satisfying answer.
But I'll add my part to this:
The USA military trained Osama Bin Ladin many years ago.

[X-Gary-Gigax-X]

Might be because of this

[Ericho]

You should read up standup comedy more on Wikiquote. According to David Cross...
"I don't think Osama bin Laden sent those planes to attack us because he hated our freedom. I think he did it because of our support for Israel, our ties with the Saudi family and our military bases in Saudi Arabia. You know why I think that? Because that's what he fucking said! Are we a nation of 6-year-olds? Answer: yes."
I'll take his word for it.

[wuggums47]

There is no situation were it is justified to kill people that you don't even know.

[aviewaskewed]

At 8/8/11 04:53 AM, satanbrain wrote: Could it be that once he managed to occupy territories and terrorize german (and later on everyone) citizens who opposed him he feld confident enough to commit it?

That's a factor, sure. If you're successful in your aims, you will tend to continue them.

Could it that when european countires conceded, let him take territories, and ignored his domestic policy his boldness was bolstered?

Absolutely a factor as well.

Could it be that letting oppressors do what they want result in an offensive war waged by them instead of their placation?

I'm not sure what exactly you're point is here. But that's about par for the course really.

Could it be that osama bin laden felt that US helped afghans, felt that because of that he could do whatever he wishes, entangled it with a religious doctrine, which considers presence of the same US soldiers in iraq blasphemy, started his "backed-up" terrorist attacks and when his terrorist attacks weren't stopped he accelerated and expanded them?

That could absolutely be a factor as well. I'm a little shocked, usually your the guy that doesn't agree with a damn thing I say...but it actually looks like you agree with my surmise that both Hitler and Bin Laden have to be looked at as individuals, and their motivations and all the ensuing factors should be looked at instead of just saying "they were crazy people, the end".

Of course I'm probably wrong as hell about the agreement thing, and you're next post will probably be some attempt to prove how much you don't agree with me.

[Camarohusky]

At 8/8/11 08:46 PM, Ericho wrote: I'll take his word for it.

And I could rob a bank and claim it's to kill the "capitalist machine" but in the end I could just be doing it for money.

The word of a man who would kill innocents is about as trustworthy as that of a base con-man.

[Saren]

He is an evil Christian hating monster. He had no reason AT ALL to do it. Don't you guys watch FOX news?

Its the same with Anders Breivik, he is an evil racist (possibly Muslim) and he had no reason to do what he did besides wanting to tell Muslims to back off and because he liked the thrill of killing (note how he has played MW 2, you play MW 2 to kill people, for fun!)

[MultiCanimefan]

At 8/7/11 11:43 AM, Ranger2 wrote:

And trying to be understanding, trying to understand why they did what they did, is an attempt to justify murder.

Wat. How the hell do you twist a question of "Why?" into "Well we figured out the motive so it was ok."

The fuck?

[MattDogg]

At 8/9/11 06:17 AM, Saren wrote:

Its the same with Anders Breivik, he is an evil racist (possibly Muslim) and he had no reason to do what he did besides wanting to tell Muslims to back off and because he liked the thrill of killing (note how he has played MW 2, you play MW 2 to kill people, for fun!)

you must be joking right? about anders being a secret moslim?

[Deathclawslayer99]

At 8/8/11 07:35 PM, X-Gary-Gigax-X wrote: Might be because of this

You are saying that he done all of this because of Quraan,it is like saying Hitler mass murdered Jews because of Bible.

[Chris-V2]

I'm not really interested in drawing parallels between The Holocaust and 9/11. Main reason being that while civilian manned, the Twin Towers were a viable economic target. Likewise The Pentagon is central to the running of the US and asuch was a prime target. Infact, the only illigitimate thing in the actual attack was the plane hijackings themselves - but I'm not sure if that's a war crime.

But it's hard to sift through the media and really look at it from the other side. What we saw in Europe was mostly wounded pride. There's never been any real objective analysis of the events of 9/11 from a military perspective. At least that I've seen.

To answer the question of "Why". It's because he saw the US as a corrupt imperialist nation that was attempting to dominate all parts of its globe through its own warfare and participation in the warfare of others, it's habit of occupying, it's media warfare and generaly ugly politics.