University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2010 Terrorism Conflict: How the United States Responds ot Al Qaeda Violence and Expressed Grievances Richard Craig Rosthauser University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the American Politics Commons, International Relations Commons, and the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons Recommended Citation Rosthauser, Richard Craig, "Terrorism Conflict: How the United States Responds ot Al Qaeda Violence and Expressed Grievances" (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 564. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/564 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. TERRORISM CONFLICT: HOW THE UNITED STATES RESPONDS TO AL QAEDA VIOLENCE AND EXPRESSED GRIEVANCES A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the University of Denver In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Richard C. Rosthauser March 2010 Advisor: Dr. Karen Feste ©Copyright by Richard C. Rosthauser 2010 All Rights Reserved Author: Richard C. Rosthauser Title: TERRORISM CONFLICT: HOW THE UNITED STATES RESPONDS TO AL QAEDA VIOLENCE AND EXPRESSED GRIEVANCES Advisor: Dr. Karen Feste Degree Date: March 2010 Abstract This study analyzes how the United States responds to Al Qaeda’s messages and expressions of grievances and how America’s responses escalate the conflict between the United States and Al Qaeda. After its first two attacks against America, Al Qaeda devised a strategy to draw America into a guerrilla war in Afghanistan, stating its intentions in its “Declaration of War” in 1996. Before this declaration, Al Qaeda worked from the shadows and denied reports it was either funding terrorism or participating in terrorism. Bin Laden continued his denials but took responsibility for some terrorist acts in his messages. President Clinton did not mention Osama bin Laden’s name until the two US Embassy bombings in East Africa, which was the only terrorist act to which President Clinton responded militarily. Al Qaeda escalated its rhetoric and violent actions with each successive message and attack. After the September 11 th attacks, Al Qaeda changed its rhetoric by offering peace overtures to the United States and its allies. Osama bin Laden continued his peace overtures throughout President Bush’s two terms in office and into President Obama’s first year. The peace overtures are discounted by both President Bush and President Obama, who say that Al Qaeda is not an organization that will negotiate peace. The rhetoric from Al Qaeda is that the long war will continue as long as the United States ii continues to occupy Arab and Muslim land, which is their primary grievance against America and its allies. iii Acknowledgements I want to thank my family for their support in my endeavor to complete my master degree program as well as their encouragement to complete my thesis. I want to also thank my friends Steve Magyar, Curtis and Sue Morris, Pam McNish and my University of Denver class mates Donna A. Calabrese and Babikir Babikir for their support and encouragement. I want to also thank my editor for helping me through the long process of completing my thesis. Lastly, I especially want to thank my advisor Dr. Karen Feste for her guidance and direction that enabled me to finish my thesis. iv Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 Research Problem ....................................................................................................1 Literature Review.....................................................................................................3 Background ............................................................................................................10 Analysis Strategy ...................................................................................................16 Chapter 2: Al Qaeda Strategy ............................................................................................23 Message Dissemination by Small Groups .............................................................24 Why Al Qaeda Turned to Violence .......................................................................36 How Large Political Organizations Deal With Grievances ...................................45 Chapter 3: Al Qaeda Terrorism Phase 1: December 1992 to October 1993 ......................58 Terrorist Event: Yemen Hotel Bombings ..............................................................63 Political overview. .................................................................................... 63 Terrorism event. ........................................................................................ 68 American response. ................................................................................... 69 Analysis..................................................................................................... 71 Terrorist Event: Somalia “Black Hawk Down” .....................................................74 Political overview. .................................................................................... 74 Terrorist event. .......................................................................................... 78 American response. ................................................................................... 81 Analysis..................................................................................................... 83 Chapter 4: Al Qaeda Terrorism Phase 2: August 1996 to October 2000...........................90 Terrorist Event: Declaration of War ......................................................................93 Political overview. .................................................................................... 93 Terrorist event. .......................................................................................... 96 American response. ................................................................................... 98 Analysis................................................................................................... 100 Terrorist Event: East African US Embassy Bombings ........................................104 Political overview. .................................................................................. 104 Terrorist event. ........................................................................................ 107 American response. ................................................................................. 108 Analysis................................................................................................... 110 Terrorist Event: USS Cole Bombing ...................................................................114 Political overview. .................................................................................. 114 Terrorist event. ........................................................................................ 117 American response. ................................................................................. 119 Analysis................................................................................................... 121 Chapter 5: Al Qaeda Terrorism Phase 3: September 2001 to September 2008 ...............126 Terrorist Event: 9/11 Attacks ...............................................................................129 v Political overview. .................................................................................. 129 Terrorist event. ........................................................................................ 132 American response. ................................................................................. 134 Analysis................................................................................................... 138 Terrorist Event: Bin Laden Message to the American People .............................141 Political overview. .................................................................................. 141 Terrorist event. ........................................................................................ 145 American response. ................................................................................. 148 Analysis................................................................................................... 149 Terrorist Event: US Embassy Bombing In Yemen ..............................................152 Political overview. .................................................................................. 152 Terrorist event. ........................................................................................ 155 American response. ................................................................................. 156 Analysis................................................................................................... 158 Chapter 6: Conclusion......................................................................................................162 Summary ..............................................................................................................162 Policy Implications ..............................................................................................169