Rubin Will Bin Laden Win See Barnett

Juan Cole 07/14/2007

Rubin: Will Bin Laden Win?

See Barnett Rubin’s essential piece at our group blog, “The Pessoptimist in Istanbul: Will Bin Laden Win?” With amazing concision, he explains everything from why Bin Laden was angry about the abolition of the Caliphate by Ataturk and the Treaty of Lausanne, to why Pushtuns in the tribal regions of northern Pakistan think they are actually in Afghanistan. Along the way, he highlights how non-state actors are challenging the Lausanne world order.

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment and Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Follow him at @jricole. He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires.