A better question is why in the **** do we care what Bin Laden thinks. Was he our moral compass?

OBL isn't saying much of anything these days, now is he?

The main reason to understand OBL's motives is so we don't fight a costly war longer than we have to. If our efforts are misplaced, it's a waste.

its the christians.

your country is run by mad christians.

(Q1) Why are we fighting and opposing you?

(g) You have supported the Jews in their idea that Jerusalem is their eternal capital, and agreed to move your embassy there. With your help and under your protection, the Israelis are planning to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque. Under the protection of your weapons, Sharon entered the Al-Aqsa mosque, to pollute it as a preparation to capture and destroy it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/nov/24/theobserver

Blame Israel for al-Qaeda, become policy expert.

Get attacked on 9.11, still fighting 11 years later [ ] policy expert

The main reason we don't let terrorists run the country is cause...they are terrorists.

Why did they want to terrorize the US, just for fun?

this is obviously the answer and it makes me SMH

Could you please spend some time reading up on the history of al-Qaeda, Israel, and middle east politics in general? You really don't know what you're talking about here.

Do you think OBL was rational and his thought processes are particularly meaningful? A lot of posters understand the middle east to a far greater extent than I do. I am certain we make foreign policy mistakes. But I don't think this line of thought, appeasing terrorists, is a good one.

Yes I believe he was rational in the sense that he had intelligble reasons behind his actions, regardless of what they were.

His motivations are meaningful in terms of 'understanding your enemy', which all war generals and game theory experts would say is crucial information.

I think it's more of a coinflip about appeasing terrorists, it depends on the terms. If they want 1 million dollars and you are the government who can print money, just print them off a mil and then sniper them later. To be flexible is a strength really and in this war we're fighting we have been entirely rigid and unbending, which I think is the wrong strategy philosophically.

besides his successful plot to murder thousands of american civillians, what makes you say this?

Relevant article about the long standing distrust between U.S. and Israeli defense establishments. U.S. sends U-2 spy flights, Israelis send spies.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/09/...ican-politics/

He stated his reasons for disliking America, or rather American foreign policy e.g. the reason I do x is because y. Hence he is rational.

During the Cold War support for Israel was a no-brainer. Somebody mentioned momentum which I think is a good answer and the way things are going over there I think that we're going to need a trustworthy ally in the region all over again.

ted kaczynski seemed rational to you? he had whole books of reasons.

you really think you can trust the Israelis? They don't play nice with others, and when US foreign policy decides to not placate the unruly stepchild anymore, they will find a new benefactor.

He was rational.

A rational decision is one that is not just reasoned, but is also optimal for achieving a goal or solving a problem. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationality

There is only one benefactor of significance.

Because not supporting Isreal as a politician is political suicide given how many Jews are in American politics.

Thought this was obvious.

U.S. embassies attacked in Cairo and Benghazi. If the Sunnis take over Syria Israel may be facing another 2 front war.

This 'don't play nice with others', you are referring to the Palestinians I suppose bec you can't mean defending themselves against invading armies. And 'find a new benefactor'? Like who? Who? In all the world, who?

When I take a look at the pic in that article I shiver. Egypt is sliding to hell. I'd hate to be a Copt right now, that's for sure.

What? White Evangelical support for Israel and the fact that Jews turn out to vote in high numbers and that Israel is the country that most resembles the U.S. in the region is the reason, not because Jews in American politics are calling the shots.

you people are the reason jesus and george bush had to co-invent guantanamo bay.