What does al Qaeda want?
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TL;DR
- 9/11 was a pivotal historical event, but its motives are often misunderstood.
- Terrorism is a tactic, not an ideology, making it difficult to fight without identifying the enemy's true goals.
- Common explanations for 9/11, such as hatred of American freedoms or U.S. foreign policy, are inadequate.
- Islamist motives are driven by a desire to restore past glories and an ideology distinct from Western secularism.
- The roots of Islamist ideology predate U.S. involvement in the Middle East, tracing back to figures like Hasan al Banna and the Muslim Brotherhood.
- Key ideological developments include the influence of Sayyid Qutb and events like the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
- Islamist groups have clearly stated objectives, but the West has often failed to listen or understand their long-term historical perspective.
- Figures like Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri were influenced by this ideology and sought to establish Islamic states.