Uncle Osama

The task here is to create TL in which the United States, and in fact much of Europe considers Osama Bin Laden an ally, and from an objective stand point much of the West would see him as a world leader and not a terrorist.
 
well he started his raise to infamy in Afghanistan fighting the Soviets.
Maybe if somehow he could have work closer with the US and fostered god relation between them.
Then trying to take power with democratic means so that he will continue to have support from the US and the rest of the West.
Relying on his war record to have enough popular support.

and then he would be an allied against the Communist menaces.
But i don´t really know anything about him or this part of the world so i don't think that this will be to that much help.

P.S. This reminds me of that scene in "Charlie Wilson's War" when they have an elderly christian conservative Senator come to an Afghanistan refuge camp in Pakistan.
Standing on a box shouting "Allah Akbar"
 
The Soviets have more success in Afghanistan, the puppet government gets control of the country, and only a few mujahedin, bin Laden included, are left to continue the fight. With the collapse of the USSR in 1989-91, bin Laden and the Islamic resistance topple the government and bring order to the country -- averting a situation that had the potential to develop into a bloody civil war. Elections held in 1993 return a huge victory for bin Laden and company (what alternative is there?).

Hmm. From this point on, the West would probably be increasingly aware of bin Laden's more distasteful actions as leader of Afghanistan. But that hardly prevents us from viewing him as an ally and a legitimate leader, right?
 
Even when fighting in Afghanistan against the USSR, Bin Laden hated the US with a passion. I don't think there would ever be good relations between the west and Bin Laden.
 

ninebucks

Banned
A different Salem bin Laden, (OTL patriarch of the bin Laden family untill his mysterious death in 1988), who, as well as people a well-connected corporate bigwig, has an interest in populist, Islamist politics. He spends most of his life kowtowing to the ibn Sauds untill some crisis strikes Saudi Arabia, at which point he oppurtunistically leads a palace coup, sponsored by sectors of the military and the general public. The Saudi dynasty is overthrown and the bin Ladens usurp the throne.

Osama, meanwhile, is off winning glory in Afghanistan. As the Soviets withdraw, Osama returns home, much to the delight of his family and his cousin Salem. He is promptly rewarded a number of high status government positions, including ambassadorship to the United States. During his career, he becomes well known and well respected.

On the 11th of September, 2001, Salem bin Laden dies of natural causes, and the campaign to decide upon his successor begins. Osama, with his natural charisma and Jihadist credentials wins many allies, and, importantly, the bulk of natural support. By the end of the month, Osama has emerged as the unquestioned new leader of the Kingdom - however, he refuses the royal title and instead declares a republic, the Islamic Republic of Arabia, with himself as president. Osama's modernising reforms are applauded in the West, especially as in 2003 he organises the state's first free legislative elections.

US President Bush and Arabian President bin Laden are well-acquainted and share a common foreign policy vision, particularly in containing and combatting Iran, (through maintaining the status quo with Iraq and supporting the anti-Iranian activities of the Taliban). In 2005, bin Laden's Arabia becomes one of the major contributors to the American-led invasion of Syria, (to liberate Lebanon, to remove an Iranian client, etc.).

Among quarters of right-wing America, Osama bin Laden is highly regarded as a loyal ally. He is jovially known as Uncle Osama, (emphasis on the 'sam'), on Talk Radio and throughout parts of the Internet. The same phrase is often picked up by those who lean to the left and used with irony, as Uncle Osama's government's committment to democracy is seen as only skin-deep and his support for regimes like the Taliban is reviled.
 
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