David Ignatius reports that Osama bin Laden wanted to re-brand Al-Qaeda because its image had become too tarnished. Highlights include:

• Since the United States no longer refers to it as the war on terror, focusing instead on a war against Al Qaeda, the United States was able to reduce the perception of its actions as part of some wider battle against Islam.
• Moreover Al Qaeda had killed Muslims, alienating people from its cause.
• Osama bin Laden thus wanted to change the name of the organization so that it implied a stronger sense of Muslim Identity.

To read more about why Osama bin Laden was like a CEO, why he wanted Al Qaeda to refocus on Palestine, the role that Yemen had to play, and the American TV news stations that bin Laden watched, click here.

Source: The New York Times

Via: Marginal Revolution, Mother Jones