Context. Context for understanding Bin Laden's aims -- Arrogance, money, and ideas. Obstacles to understanding Bin Laden -- Chasing Bin Laden's money -- Getting to know Bin Laden : substantive themes of the jihad -- Getting to know Bin Laden : character traits -- Years of preparation, 1957-1996. Young Bin Laden, 1957-1979 : family, education, and religion -- Bin Laden and the Afghan war, 1979-1989 : facilitator, engineer, fighter, and visionary -- Bin Laden and the Saudis, 1989-1991 : from favorite son to black sheep -- Bin Laden in exile : Afghanistan and Sudan, 1991-1996 -- Bin Laden begins : inciting and waging jihad from Sudan, 1992-1996 -- War years, 1996-2001. Bin Laden returns to Afghanistan : getting settled and politicking -- Bin Laden in Afghanistan : targeting America and expanding al Qaeda -- Bin Laden stands at Armageddon and battles for his lord -- No end in sight. What to expect from al-Qaeda -- Spring 2002 : where are we? Where are we going? -- Epilogue: "That they may go in and look their redeemer in the face with joy".