The Bin Ladens rose from poverty to privilege; they loyally served the Saudi royal family for generations and became wealthy enough to live and invest in other countries, including the United States. Yet the family struggled to adapt simultaneously to Saudi Arabia's puritanism and America's myriad temptations. This became the context for Osama's overwhelming determination to destroy the United States.
Steve Coll is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the national bestseller Ghost Wars.