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Beyond Bin Laden: America and the Future of Terror
Osama bin Laden was the most wanted man in American history—an enemy who brought the United States what President George W. Bush called “a day of fire,” and ushered in a new era of terrorism. It took a decade of blood and sacrifice, of determination and frustration, but finally, in a nighttime raid at the end of a dirt road in Pakistan, the hunt for Bin Laden ended with a gunshot. It was a dramatic climax to a long and painful chapter.
But now what? The terrorist threat that has defined American policy since the attacks of 9/11 did not die with Bin Laden in his walled compound near Islamabad. Radicals still wish us harm, and we must fight on.
In this provocative collection of essays edited and introduced by Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Meacham, a group of penetrating analysts and leaders look ahead to the world after Bin Laden—to the future of Al Qaeda, of Afghanistan, of Pakistan. We explore the political, military, and cultural implications of the post–Bin Laden war on terror. From Richard N. Haass of the Council on Foreign Relations to former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, from historian and journalist Evan Thomas to former U.S. Army officer Andrew Exum, Beyond Bin Laden gives readers intelligent, deeply informed, and urgent glimpses of what comes next.
Contributors include:
• Jon Meacham, executive editor, Random House
• James A. Baker III, former Secretary of State
• Karen Hughes, former counselor to President George W. Bush and former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy
• Richard N. Haass, president, Council on Foreign Relations
• Bing West, author, The Wrong War, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
• Andrew Exum, fellow, Center for a New American Security
• Daniel Markey, senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia, Council on Foreign Relations
• Evan Thomas, award-winning historian and former editor-at-large, Newsweek
But now what? The terrorist threat that has defined American policy since the attacks of 9/11 did not die with Bin Laden in his walled compound near Islamabad. Radicals still wish us harm, and we must fight on.
In this provocative collection of essays edited and introduced by Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Meacham, a group of penetrating analysts and leaders look ahead to the world after Bin Laden—to the future of Al Qaeda, of Afghanistan, of Pakistan. We explore the political, military, and cultural implications of the post–Bin Laden war on terror. From Richard N. Haass of the Council on Foreign Relations to former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, from historian and journalist Evan Thomas to former U.S. Army officer Andrew Exum, Beyond Bin Laden gives readers intelligent, deeply informed, and urgent glimpses of what comes next.
Contributors include:
• Jon Meacham, executive editor, Random House
• James A. Baker III, former Secretary of State
• Karen Hughes, former counselor to President George W. Bush and former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy
• Richard N. Haass, president, Council on Foreign Relations
• Bing West, author, The Wrong War, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
• Andrew Exum, fellow, Center for a New American Security
• Daniel Markey, senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia, Council on Foreign Relations
• Evan Thomas, award-winning historian and former editor-at-large, Newsweek
Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2011
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About the author
Jon Meacham
69 books3,079 followersJon Ellis Meacham is an American writer, reviewer, historian and presidential biographer who is serving as the Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral since November 7, 2021. A former executive editor and executive vice president at Random House, he is a contributing writer to The New York Times Book Review, a contributing editor to Time magazine, and a former editor-in-chief of Newsweek. He is the author of several books. He won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. He holds the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Endowed Chair in American Presidency at Vanderbilt University.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 15, 2025
Beyond Bin Laden offers a thoughtful, timely reassessment of U.S. strategy in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death. Among its strongest contributions is Richard N. Haass’s essay, “Rethinking Afghanistan,” a clear-eyed critique of America’s expansive war aims. Haass persuasively argues that the continued pursuit of counterinsurgency and nation-building in Afghanistan has outlived its strategic logic. His call for a narrower, counterterrorism-focused engagement is both pragmatic and overdue, especially in light of the fiscal and geopolitical realities facing the United States.
Equally compelling is Evan Thomas’s “The Trouble with Assassination,” which poses difficult but necessary questions about the moral cost of America’s targeted killing campaign. Thomas doesn’t oppose bin Laden’s death, but he warns that its success risks normalizing a mode of warfare that bypasses due process and accountability. His essay invites deeper reflection on the legal and ethical contours of modern counterterrorism — a conversation we need, even when the results are politically satisfying.
Together, these essays underscore a critical message: victory in the war on terror is not simply about eliminating enemies but about preserving the democratic and moral foundations that distinguish us from them.
Equally compelling is Evan Thomas’s “The Trouble with Assassination,” which poses difficult but necessary questions about the moral cost of America’s targeted killing campaign. Thomas doesn’t oppose bin Laden’s death, but he warns that its success risks normalizing a mode of warfare that bypasses due process and accountability. His essay invites deeper reflection on the legal and ethical contours of modern counterterrorism — a conversation we need, even when the results are politically satisfying.
Together, these essays underscore a critical message: victory in the war on terror is not simply about eliminating enemies but about preserving the democratic and moral foundations that distinguish us from them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2022
Interesting to read about views on Afghanistan in a book written in 2011, especially knowing know how we abruptly pulled out of Afghanistan.
March 25, 2017
Read this when it first came out, decided to read it again as a sort of status check. We still have much work to do in the world.
Nice collection of essays, by the way.
Nice collection of essays, by the way.
May 11, 2011
The advent of online publishing and eReaders has certainly changed how and when books come available. Even a few years ago, this book would not have been possible so soon after the event it concerns. However, the technical ability to produce and distribute a book quickly does not necessarily lend to, and may even detract from, it's overall quality.
This is a collection of several essays by important thinkers in the defense and foreign policy communities. Overall, they do a good job puttin al Qaeda in perspective and generally focus on the continued need for engagement in the Muslim world, but also on opportunities for a change in long term priorites in Afghanistan. Several of the articles are quite good. Hoverer, others are much less academic and perhaps a little too much based on peresonal accomplishments for my taste. Overall, there is no clear organizing principle or theme.
If you keep up with the sites and articles in the milblog community and places like Foreign Policy, not much here will be anything new. If on the other hand, you have not been following Afghanistan and al Qaeda for several years, this will be a good primer, though I imagine it will be fairly perishable. At $1.99, I'd say it's a good value, but it will by no means be last word on the subject.
This is a collection of several essays by important thinkers in the defense and foreign policy communities. Overall, they do a good job puttin al Qaeda in perspective and generally focus on the continued need for engagement in the Muslim world, but also on opportunities for a change in long term priorites in Afghanistan. Several of the articles are quite good. Hoverer, others are much less academic and perhaps a little too much based on peresonal accomplishments for my taste. Overall, there is no clear organizing principle or theme.
If you keep up with the sites and articles in the milblog community and places like Foreign Policy, not much here will be anything new. If on the other hand, you have not been following Afghanistan and al Qaeda for several years, this will be a good primer, though I imagine it will be fairly perishable. At $1.99, I'd say it's a good value, but it will by no means be last word on the subject.
May 28, 2011
A timely collection of focused and highly illuminationg essays on the future of terror now that Osama Bin Laden has become fish food. In particular, the essay by Andrew Exum is superb as is the closing essay by former Secretary of State James Baker.
The essential question here is what is will terror as we know it simply fade away as the Al Queda movement has been largely discredited in most of the Arab world or will we see a new, more malevolent movement emerge? Quickly following this are a number of critical secondary questions such as what will the so-called Arab Spring bring for the Middle East (and the rest of the world)? And what is to happen in Afghanistan and Pakiston? As to the question about the Arab Spring, The assumption that democracy will take root simply because the people want it a naive one, I believe, and several of the essays here debate this point.
I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised by the thoughfulness and insightfulness of these essays in such a short time after OBL's death. Well worth the read.
The essential question here is what is will terror as we know it simply fade away as the Al Queda movement has been largely discredited in most of the Arab world or will we see a new, more malevolent movement emerge? Quickly following this are a number of critical secondary questions such as what will the so-called Arab Spring bring for the Middle East (and the rest of the world)? And what is to happen in Afghanistan and Pakiston? As to the question about the Arab Spring, The assumption that democracy will take root simply because the people want it a naive one, I believe, and several of the essays here debate this point.
I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised by the thoughfulness and insightfulness of these essays in such a short time after OBL's death. Well worth the read.
June 5, 2012
This was a quick and easy read with a ton of important information. There is even a former Bush staffer quoting Shakespeare (correctly, don't worry) Plus, anytime Bing West shows up I'm in. However, apart from Mr. West's contribution and the entertaining section on assassinations, the book somehow managed to keep from gripping me. It's never bad, just failed to live up to expectations. It closes well, though. (I won't spoil the two end selections. They feel too good back-to-back). In all of the analysis, no one ever seems to point out that the borders of Afghanistan were drawn by the British to prevent it from being a functional country. (Mission accomplished, it would seem). I know that wasn't the main focus of the book, but I don't know how we dance around that particular elephant in the room as we talk about 'little faith' in the 'weak' Afghan central government. Anyway, again, an easy, quick and informative read written by a bunch of smart folks.
- Owen Gardner Finnegan
- Owen Gardner Finnegan
April 6, 2013
I thought this was a very interesting bipartisan look at the relationship between the US and the Middle East. It was written immediately after Bin Laden was killed, so some of the information is already out of date, but it's still worth the read. It's a short collection of essays from experts on various aspects of the Arab world and / or the war on terror. I liked getting some perspective about what the Bush administration was thinking when they decided to invade Iraq. My favorite part of the book was at the end when the editor put the speech that Bush gave on 9/11 and then the one that Obama gave when Bin Laden was killed. I remember watching them both when they were first given, and I was surprisingly choked up when I read them again.
May 26, 2011
Worth reading. Not a lot of new information....but, some of the essays are well thought out and include opinions on what should be next for the USA in Afghanistan and in our war against Al Qaeda. It includes President Bush's speech on 9/11/01 and President Obama's speech on 5/1/11. I enjoyed reading them, realizing the very different emotions I experienced on those 2 days.
September 29, 2012
The best part about this one is the text of two speeches at the end one after the other: George W. Bush's speech on 9/11, and Barack Obama's speech on May 11, 2011 after Bin Laden was killed. It's kind of cool to read those in that context; other than that this was a bunch of analysis papers by a bunch of people who really shouldn't be writing papers.
December 19, 2015
This is a compilation of different essays from different writers. It may have been more pertinent when originally written, but seems somewhat disjointed as history has not born out the predictions. I enjoy Jon Meacham more when he is writing his autobiographies. Didn't realize that he just edited this volume, rather than being the author.
March 27, 2013
Very short book. A set of essays on the aftermath of the death of Bin Laden. Inspiring talking points, but most didn't add too much to the projections of where things will go or anything not already known.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2017
This book has some dated material since OBL was killed in 2011. Yet the tone of this book and the detailed perspectives of the contributing authors provide great insight into our current political circumstances in the USA.
June 11, 2011
Thoughtful essays from several viewpoints.
June 6, 2012
A through study of Bin Laden - who he was and what he did.
November 5, 2012
A series of essay’s about how the Arab world might be affected after the death of Osama Bin Laden. Detailing how Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Al Qaeda might be changed.
November 12, 2012
The essays about the meaning of Bin Laden's death run about half and half--half are well-reasoned and insightful and the rest are either re-hashes or collapse under political slant.
December 22, 2014
A collection of essays, so quality can be hit or miss.
April 4, 2017
This short book is a culmination of articles/papers written by politicians, historians and journalists to provide insight in what follows in the wake of Bin Laden’s death.
Despite being 6 years old not, some, if not most of the content is still relevant. However, the largest and most obvious absence from book is ISIS. Despite this absence the book was on point in accurately articulating that should a power vacuum in certain regions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan occur, an evolved form of the Taliban/Al-Qaeda could occur. Even though in name they are not present, the idea of ISIS is predicted.
The most insightful components of the book, despite being “older news” was providing descriptive information of the tribal nature of the aforementioned nation-states. Outside the few major cities of Kabul, Islamabad and such, it is not local government that holds the sway of the land, but rather tribes and tribal relations. The book explained this in a manner that was both new to me and easy to understand. It is this, that I found to be the valuable component of the book. The long standing existence of the tribes and their relationships with one another is seemingly the component of the puzzle that the US still cannot crack. This along with a number of other issues is what lies in the way of making long standing progress in the region.
This was a short book and despite being a few years old, I still feel it relevant to read. A follow up from Meacham and company would be kindly received as the content consolidated a number of complex situations, polices and histories into neatly and easily understood articles.
Despite being 6 years old not, some, if not most of the content is still relevant. However, the largest and most obvious absence from book is ISIS. Despite this absence the book was on point in accurately articulating that should a power vacuum in certain regions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan occur, an evolved form of the Taliban/Al-Qaeda could occur. Even though in name they are not present, the idea of ISIS is predicted.
The most insightful components of the book, despite being “older news” was providing descriptive information of the tribal nature of the aforementioned nation-states. Outside the few major cities of Kabul, Islamabad and such, it is not local government that holds the sway of the land, but rather tribes and tribal relations. The book explained this in a manner that was both new to me and easy to understand. It is this, that I found to be the valuable component of the book. The long standing existence of the tribes and their relationships with one another is seemingly the component of the puzzle that the US still cannot crack. This along with a number of other issues is what lies in the way of making long standing progress in the region.
This was a short book and despite being a few years old, I still feel it relevant to read. A follow up from Meacham and company would be kindly received as the content consolidated a number of complex situations, polices and histories into neatly and easily understood articles.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews