Analysis of The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright - Book Report/Review Example

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright Lawrence Wright is an American screenwriter, an author and also works at the New Yorker magazine as a staff writer having graduated with an M.A in applied linguistics. He taught as an English teacher in the University of America which is situated in Cairo, Egypt. Lawrence began his career in Nashville as a race relation reporter before freelancing in various magazines as a writer. He began working his way up at the New Yorker magazine as a staff where he has been able to publish a number of articles that have won winning various awards including the national magazine awards. The looming tower is wright’s outstanding book that dwells on the 9/11 attacks and the Al-Qaeda group that was headed by Osama bin Laden. The title does not only refer to the predestined towers of the world trade center but also a statement in the Quran in which Osama bin Laden was fond of quoting. The quote served to aid the direction of the hijackers promulgating that it did not matter where one is, death will always find a person. The book is based on more than 400 interviews including the former counterterrorism chief officer of the white house, reporters and close friends to Osama bin Laden. It gives the reader an intense view of the tragic event that occurred in September 2011 when the World Trade Centre was brought to the ground, an event that is historically sweeping to date (Wright 10). Despite the broad outline of the 9/11 story, Wright creates a narrative story enacting all the principal players in the incidence such as the F.B.I’s counterterrorism former chief officer, Osama bin Laden and his deputy al-Zawahiri. The catching narrative outline described to as “the road to 9/11” depicts the intertwining of the various public, personal, political and private parties that enabled the tragic event to occur. According to his book, Wright suggests that vision and charisma amongst few individuals in the society shaped the nature with a clear depiction of the increased contest between the West and the Islam community (Wright 17). This resembles the historical shifting of tectonic plates between the two groups based on differences of the two cultures. This led to the emergence of the Al-Qaeda group which was led by Osama bin Laden. Wright notes that bin Laden played a crucial role in holding the group together during the dark times where they had been exiled and continuously under the radar of the American troops planning his elimination. His deputy, Al-Zawahiri, promoted his personal vision that only violence could be the solution to change history (Wright 21). According to Wright (67), the ill-fated event that occurred on September 2011 based on the attack by Al-Qaeda was not inevitable. It was a situation of bad luck based on the confluence of various decision-making and encounter process trying to stop the tragic event from happening. Al-Qaeda’s success was also supplemented by the existing differences between the F.B.I and the C.I.A. officials (Wright 27). This played a crucial role in the success of the attack on the world Trade Centre. Unlike other authors, Mr. Wright tries to depict the situation in a series of Arabic document and interviews with jihads. The purpose is to promulgate on the various events that shaped the Al-Qaeda under Mr. Bin Laden on the twisting nature and wait on the long road to actualizing an attack against America. His narrative gives a detailed picture of the Al-Qaeda’s day to day life with their keen interest in their motivation and goals in planning attacks against their enemies, especially the United States of America (Wright 30). Wright’s story begins with the description of the early life and growth of Sayyid Qutb, who is described as the father of the Islamic movement enacting terror. He was later thrown in prison and executed. His death was classified as a martyr death and also an act of heroism to the revolutionary Islamic movement (Wright 39). The narrative enacts a more interesting and detailed information on the radicalization of bin Laden in Saudi Arabia from a shy boy to a religiously influenced individual bearing the capability to lead and hold together the Islamic movement. Later in his life, bin Laden met Mr. Zawahri who was also initially an Egyptian doctor. He was more radicalized and opted to be enacted more in violence. The author clearly depicts the impact he had after joining the Islamic movement (Wright 45). The author notes that Zawahri was highly motivated and his portrayal of violence was due to the torture he faced during his youth in the Egyptian prisons. This developed him to an individual who brought unto the ship the use of suicide bombers, chemical and biological weapon. Wright depicts the kind of impact he had after joining the radicalized Islamic movement (Wright 53). He goes on to note that the presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia in search for bin Laden and the continual invasions in Somalia made Al-Qaeda increasingly encircled. This turned the group motivation from an Islamic army into a terrorist group planning to cause harm in the American soil. Wright notes not only the transformation of the group but also the day to day life at the various training camps showing their capability of being a radicalized terrorist group (55). There is an outline of the cause of disparity between the West and Osama bin Laden. The differences are not essentially being cultural but due to the military action in the various Islamic societies. The situation is worsened further by the preference of American products by one of his wives and the watching of Hollywood thrillers to gain tips (Wright 67). Earlier documentation directed the failure of N.S.A, F.B.I and C.I.A on their lack of preference to share information enhancing effective attack on the American World Trade Center. Wright’s novel is lucid in depicting the serving incompetence within the government of United States. Both Clinton and Bush administrations had little priority for terrorism prevention despite the 1998 bombings in Africa that made the group gain attention globally. Mr. bin Laden primary goal was to attack various US embassies’ globally due to the invading nature of United States troops in Afghanistan. According to Wright, these were seemingly enough to cause massive retaliation as expected. The retaliation entailed bin Laden devising a massive attack that is the 9/11. This led to the war between the U.S and Iraq; what Osama bin Laden had greatly desired (Wright 79). Currently, at a global scale, intelligence systems should be rightly managed and staffed. They should prioritize early detection of tragic events before their occurrence. There are various technological advances such as the use of drones in the locations of revolutionary Islamic movements that can be used to gather intelligence (Wright 88). The formation of the radical Islamist group and terrorist groups in different parts illustrates the need for advanced intelligence in order to curb the escalating terrorism menace. Agencies in charge of security and stability of a nation should be equipped with advanced and efficient intelligence systems. From the insight of the book, there should be elimination of conflicts between agencies such as the F.B.I and the C.I.A in order to form a strong and cohesive force that is capable of eliminating the threats of various terrorist groups around the world (Wright 102). The rise of radical Islamic movements acting on the basis of differences with the West depicts flaws in their thinking. They result in the use of violence in order to achieve gratification recognition. A good number of youths are radicalized and prompted to act in a manner that is not ideal. They serve to execute the agenda of a few individuals with misguided notions about solving conflicts. Currently, terrorism is rampant globally and a more effective way can be outlined in order to settle the differences between various cultural groups. This can form a basis for ending the long “tectonic” drifting of the Islamic groups, western civilizations and Christianity. This is a way to shun violence that leads to the death of many innocent people. Creation of radical Islamic movements is an absurd way of advocating the need for violence in order to create motivation and achievement of various goals at the individual level. Suicide bombing and other forms of terrorist attacks only bring up more differences rather than create cohesion amongst individuals around the world. Works Cited Wright, Lawrence. The Looming Tower. London: Allen Lane, 2006. Print. Read More