Reading

The Looming Tower, chapters 1-6

Introduction

It is February 15, 1989, and the Soviet Army is completing its withdrawal from Afghanistan. Arab Afghans, who were secretly funded by the CIA and Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence, are claiming much of the credit for defeating Soviet forces. Why did Arabs from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries move to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets? What did the Arab groups really contribute to the war? And, what significant Arab groups or associations were forged during the Afghan conflict? Since these are complex questions with numerous answers, I am forming six teams of intelligence officers to provide some answers.

Team 1 will look at deep background. Using chapter 1 of The Looming Tower, you will prepare a report about the Egyptian writer Sayyid Qutb. Although Qutb was deceased by the time the Afghan War began, his life and work influenced Ayman al-Zawahiri and hundreds of other radical Islamists who later fought in Afghanistan. Who was Qutb? What did he do? And, why is he an important figure to understand?

Team 2 will prepare a report on Ayman al-Zawahiri. Using chapter 2 of The Looming Tower, you will explain Zawahiri’s background, family life, and education as well as his early activities and imprisonment in Egypt. How did Zawahiri’s experiences radicalize him and what did he hope to accomplish?

Team 3 will examine the background and early life of Osama bin Laden. Using chapter 3 of The Looming Tower, you will explain bin Laden’s background, family life, education, and early activities through the 1970s. Be sure to highlight  bin Laden’s changing religious beliefs and activism.

Team 4 will prepare a presentation on the dramatic events of 1979. Using chapter 4 of The Looming Tower, you will explain how the siege of the Grand Mosque in Mecca led to a critical desire for change among Islamic radicals. In addition, you should show how this desire for change became associated with the Afghan War.

Team 5 will examine the Arab contributions to the Afghan War against the Soviets. Using chapter 5 of The Looming Tower, you will explain how Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam encouraged Arabs to join the Afghan War and what they actually accomplished.

Team 6 will prepare a presentation on the final years of the Afghan War and the formation of “The Base.” Using chapter 6 of The Looming Tower, you will explain the complicated relationship between the Arabs and Afghans in the last years of the war as well as the goals of the new Arab organization called al-Qaeda.

Discussion

I will be available to discuss any questions or concerns you have about the reading via skype. My skype username is deltahistory. In addition, on Thursday, September 1, I will devote the entire afternoon to a discussion of the chapters assigned in the Looming Tower. Please login to skype between noon and 4:30 p.m. to discuss the book.

Directions | Each group will present three items to me for grading by September 11 at midnight.

First, each group will submit a single 750-word summary of the chapter it has been assigned.
- The summary must be written in GOOGLE DOCS so that I may see what each group member contributed.
- The summary must be written in paragraph form and should cover the main points presented in the chapter.
- The summary should include all the key figures, events, dates, and topics in the reading.

Second, each group will submit a digital presentation that covers the chapter it has been assigned.
- The presentation must be designed in GOOGLE DOCS so that I may see what each group member contributed.
- The presentation must include appropriate images, photographs, maps, and other media in high resolution.
- The presentation should include the main points covered in the summary.

Third, each group will submit a selection of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions on your chapter.
- The questions must be written in GOOGLE DOCS so that I may see what each group member contributed.
- These questions should highlight the most important topics, events, or developments in the reading.

Submitting Group Work
- The summary, presentation, and questions will all be completed in GOOGLE DOCS. Your group will simply share the documents with everyone. In GOOGLE DOCS, share your items by selecting "Public on the web: Anyone on the Internet can find and access. No sign-in required." All items are due by midnight on September 11, 2011.

Please note: You may find assistance for working in GOOGLE DOCS under the Tech Tutorials link in our class.