In another analysis on STRATFOR we find this paragraph:

"Suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and his people are prepared to work with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but they are no great fans of his. Hussein's roots are in secular, socialist, Arabist movements from the 1950s while bin Laden's roots are in religious, traditionalist, Islamic movements from the 1980s. If there was help, it did not stem from a particularly warm relationship."

I would love a breakdown of the two movements (and any others) that shape the dense political world of the Middle East. Therein lies the ability to frame the conflict in terms acceptable and understandable to the fractions and factions of the Islamic world. Not everyone can be appeased by the manner of terrorist fighting, but this kind of description is helpful to us civilians trying to understand what our democracy must deal with in the region.
- posted by levinson @ 9/19/2001 08:49:00 AM