Podcast Summary: LSE Public Lectures and Events – "The Bin Ladens"

Date: April 24, 2008
Speaker: Steve Coll (journalist, author of "The Bin Ladens")
Host: LSE Film and Audio Team

Overview

This episode features celebrated journalist and author Steve Coll discussing his book "The Bin Ladens," which explores the complex history, cultural impact, and global networks of the Bin Laden family. Coll examines how the family’s story is intertwined with the modernization of Saudi Arabia, the evolution of transnational business and identity in the Arab world, and how Osama bin Laden's path both reflected and deviated from his family’s trajectory. The lecture combines nuanced historical analysis, vivid character portraits, and insights into how personal and political choices shaped one of the most influential families of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Motivation for Writing the Book

• Steve Coll’s inspiration:
  • Coll was intrigued by multi-generational family sagas (e.g., the Kennedys) and saw the Bin Ladens as a lens through which to examine Saudi Arabia's modernization and global influence in the 20th century.
  • He wanted to explore Saudi Arabia in greater detail, as its complexity and internal diversity are often overlooked (01:52).
  • The Bin Laden story is not only Saudi, but also global, rooted in the Hadrami Yemeni diaspora (04:45).

2. The Bin Laden Family as a Modernizing Force

• Founder, Mohammad bin Laden:

  • An orphan from Yemen who built a construction empire in Saudi Arabia (06:50).
  • Capitalized on the post-oil boom, becoming the key contractor for the Saudi royal family and a symbol of modernization (10:30).
  • Known for his ability to solve engineering challenges and lead a diverse company mixing nationalities and religions (14:15).

• Family Structure:

  • Mohammad married at least 22 times, fathering 54 children (29 daughters, 25 sons) (16:30).
  • Dismisses the myth that Osama was a social outcast within the family, instead describing him as structurally privileged due to his enfranchisement as an heir (17:53).

3. The Bin Laden Family in the West: Salam bin Laden

• Salam bin Laden:

  • Mohammad’s eldest son, inherited the family business (20:47).
  • A charismatic, adventurous figure who straddled both Saudi and Western worlds; notable for eccentricity and egalitarianism (23:00).
  • Used performance and personality as business tools—regularly engaged in impromptu musical performances, lived and socialized broadly in the U.S. and Europe (24:30).
  • Collaborated with Osama in the 1980s, particularly during the Afghan war against the Soviets (30:19).

• Salam’s Death:

  • Died in a light aircraft accident in Texas in May 1988, an event Coll posits may have created leadership space for Osama within the family (33:15).

4. Osama bin Laden: Family Influences and Divergences

• Traces of Bin Laden Family Traits in Osama:
  1. Diversity in leadership: Ability to build a global, multi-ethnic following—modeled on his father’s diverse business and the multiculturalism of Mecca (34:04).
  2. Technological savvy: Early adopter of global communication technologies—both Al Qaeda and the Bin Laden family were investing in global telecom at the same time (35:17).
  3. Business and marketing acumen: Applied family lessons in branding and marketing to the construction of Al Qaeda as a global brand (35:50).
  4. Performance and image: Like his father and Salam, Osama was self-conscious about performance and crafting his public persona (36:30; Memorable story about retaking a poem for the camera at his son’s wedding, 36:50).

"What has he really done with Al Qaeda other than build a brand?"
– Steve Coll (35:50)

5. Divergence: Why Osama Chose a Radical Path

• Influence of education:
  • Exposed early on (around age 13) to Muslim Brotherhood ideology at his international prep school in Jeddah (36:14).
  • Participation in the Afghan war was, at the time, considered orthodox and state-sanctioned (37:24).
  • Radicalization and political dissent became pronounced in the 1990s, culminating in a definitive break with the Saudi establishment and family after Salem’s death (39:22).

Q&A: Notable Exchanges and Further Insights

Osama’s Uniqueness Among Global Jihadists

• Q: Would global jihad have produced another equivalent figure if not for Osama?
• A: Coll argues Al Qaeda’s global reach and brand are uniquely Osama’s achievements; Egyptian co-leaders had provincial ambitions (41:07).

"As a vanguard with a talent for media and global technology, I think [Osama] is a distinctive figure who would not have easily been imitated by someone else."
– Steve Coll (41:44)

The Bin Laden Family’s Reaction and Status

• Q: How did the family respond to Osama’s radicalism?

• A: Reactions ranged from revulsion to fear; the family officially disowned him in 1994 (44:13).

• Current status of the Bin Ladens:

  • Still a major, successful business in Saudi Arabia, led by Bakar bin Laden.
  • Maintain a low political profile but prospered post-9/11 due to infrastructure spending (51:50).

The Brand and Resilience of Al Qaeda

• Q: What would happen to Al Qaeda if Osama were killed or captured?

• A: The movement’s network and brand are more enduring now than its organization; succession would challenge the brand but it would likely endure (44:39).

• Q: What is the Al Qaeda "brand"?

• A: Initially one of global unity and courage, later used as a franchise for fundraising and recruitment—other groups deliberately adopt the "Al Qaeda" label for its notoriety (70:04).

Research Methodology

• Three-pronged approach:
  1. Interviews with a global array of associates, friends, and business partners (46:45).
  2. Archival research, especially government and business documents.
  3. Court records, which debunked myths about Osama’s personal fortune (46:45–50:29).
• Remark: Surprised by the loyalty and absence of vitriol among those who interacted with the family.

Audience Q&A Highlights

Bin Laden Family’s Departure After 9/11

• Q: Did the Bin Ladens’ ability to leave the U.S. after 9/11 reflect their own or Saudi royalty’s clout?
• A: Attributed to Prince Bandar’s influence with the Bush administration; myth that they left while airspace was closed (59:11).

Osama’s Relationship with Ayman al-Zawahiri

• Q: Was Zawahiri the "brains" of Al Qaeda?
• A: Coll views them as having a more balanced, mutually useful relationship—Zawahiri brought technical and political expertise; Osama contributed vision and privilege (63:34).

Where Is Osama?

• Q: Where might Osama be hiding?
• A: Coll thinks likely Pakistan, in the tribal areas (65:27), highlighting both the uncertainty and the elaborate courier system delivering his tapes.

Osama’s Upbringing and Step-Family Influence

• Q: Impact of Osama’s stepfather and household?
• A: Stepfather described as gentle; Osama’s special status, intense bond with mother, and possible psychological impacts remain mostly speculative (56:40).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the Family’s Business Savvy:
  "There was really a streak of charismatic genius in the bin Laden family..." – Steve Coll (14:45)

• On Osama’s Early Exposure:
  "At about age 13, he was recruited into the Brothers in after-school studies..." – Steve Coll (36:14)

• On the Bin Laden Family Evacuation:
  "The evacuation was a product of Bandar bin Sultan's influence in the Bush administration. No doubt about that." – Steve Coll (59:11)

• On the Myth of Osama’s Fortune:
  "Two US Presidents...were given by their intelligence community reports that Osama's personal fortune totaled $300 million...Well, this was wrong by many orders of magnitude, it turned out." – Steve Coll (49:30)

• On Al Qaeda’s Brand:
  "...in its most idealized form, from Al Qaeda's point of view, the brand is one of unity, of global unity, and also one of courage and accomplishment that is distinct from the lesser brands." – Steve Coll (70:34)

• On Osama's performance instincts:
  "He recited this poem...and then he came down off of the stage and said to this cameraman, he said, come with me. They go inside. He shuts the door, he says, let me see the viewfinder...I want to go do a second take." – Steve Coll (36:50)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:52 – Steve Coll introduces the book’s purpose and themes
• 06:50–20:47 – Life and legacy of Mohammad bin Laden
• 20:47–33:15 – Salam bin Laden: personality, legacy, and death
• 34:04–39:22 – Osama bin Laden: family influences and divergence
• 39:22–44:13 – Q&A: Osama’s radicalism, family reactions, global jihad context
• 44:39–46:45 – Al Qaeda’s brand, succession, and possible futures
• 46:45–51:22 – Research methodology and sources
• 51:50–53:08 – Contemporary status of the Bin Laden family
• 53:36–56:16 – Shift in Osama's enmity from the Soviets to the West
• 56:40–58:40 – Role of Osama’s stepfather and step-family
• 59:11–62:39 – Bin Laden family post-9/11 evacuation from the US
• 63:34–68:00 – Osama’s relationship with Zawahiri and speculations on Osama’s whereabouts
• 70:04–72:13 – Final thoughts on the Al Qaeda “brand” and Coll’s reflections

Tone and Closing

Steve Coll maintains a balanced, methodical, and deeply researched tone throughout, often blending scholarly analysis with vivid, sometimes humorous anecdotes (‘parlor game for Osama nerds’, musical exploits of Salam). The overall mood is analytic but empathetic; neither demonizing nor lionizing his subjects, but seeking to understand the complexity, contradictions, and global relevance of the Bin Laden family story.

For further insights, Steve Coll’s book "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century" is recommended.