Patrick Lang

Patrick Lang, a retired army colonel, served as chief Middle East analyst for the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency during the 1990s. In the following viewpoint he describes the origins and development of Wahhabism—a fundamentalist Islamic movement that began in the 1800s in what is now Saudi Arabia. This particular sect of Islam, Lang writes, espouses a strict observance of Islamic law and condemns all other Muslims as heretics. Lang writes that Wahhabi Muslims believe that the Western world is corrupt and the United States is the “Great Satan.” Such beliefs inspire terrorism, including the September 11, 2001, attacks, Lang writes, and should not be overlooked in America’s war against terrorism.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What practical reasons did President George W. Bush have for arguing...