Usama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda's Operational Design

Abstract

Abstract : The United States is in new kind of war against a non state, transnational terrorist organization called al Qaeda. Although the recent nature of this war's threat both asymmetric and on American soil is largely unfamiliar, the principles being applied in this campaign are not. Al Qaeda's creator and leader, Usama bin Laden, has developed an operational design to carry out his holy warriors against the United States. Elements of this design include a defined end state and clearly articulated objectives to support his campaign strategies. He has adopted a pan-Islamic ideology in order to create a pansurgency which globally extends al Qaeda's operational reach and approach. He uses other principles of operational art such as anticipation and leverage to translate his strategies into tactical actions. He indirectly attacks the U.S. center of gravity while at the same time strengthens his own. Through the development of this operational design in concert with principles of operational art, he has largely been able to determine when and how he chooses to fight. By analyzing this threat from an operational design perspective, the United States can further identify both strengths and weaknesses of bin Laden's plan. By gaining this insight, the United States and her allies can develop ways to better defend themselves and improve on strategies which will deter, disrupt, and eventually destroy Usama bin Laden and al Qaeda.