--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bin Laden comes out of a business…" description: "\"Bin Laden comes out of a business background - he studied public administration and economics at university, and he worked for his family company, whic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg" --- # Bin Laden comes out of a business background - he studied… ![“Bin Laden comes out of a business background - he studied public administration and economics at university, and he worked for his family company, which was obviously a rather successful enterprise.” quote by Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg) > “Bin Laden comes out of a business background - he studied public administration and economics at university, and he worked for his family company, which was obviously a rather successful enterprise.” [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bin Laden’s early career was in business, giving him managerial skills and a network that later supported his militant activities. **In simple terms:** He was a businessman before becoming a terrorist leader. Key Takeaway Recognize how non‑political backgrounds can shape extremist leadership. Themes leadership extremism business politics Mood analytical concerned Type historical analytical When to use this quote - terrorist recruitment - policy analysis - counter‑terrorism strategy - academic research Key Concepts organizational skill networking fundraising Questions to Reflect On - How do professional skills translate into violent movements? - What safeguards can prevent business expertise from aiding terrorism? A Different Perspective Business experience does not guarantee ethical conduct; motivations can shift dramatically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Background Studied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-studied-334937/) [Backgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) [Bin laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bin-laden/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-background-334935/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laden/) [Laden Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laden-comes-334936/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) ## Related quotes > [Bin Laden's role in the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s had made him a hero around the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-s-role-in-the-war-against-the-soviet-occupation-of/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The money that bin Laden inherited was about 20 million dollars over the course of many years, not the much larger sums some have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-money-that-bin-laden-inherited-was-about-20-million-dollars-over/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [And in the end, bin Laden died in a squalid suburban compound surrounded by his wives and children and far from the front lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/and-in-the-end-bin-laden-died-in-a-squalid-suburban-compound/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I've interviewed multiple people who know bin Laden... who tend to have a universal picture of what he's like, which is: modest, retiring, unassuming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/i-ve-interviewed-multiple-people-who-know-bin-laden-who-tend-to-have/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [In short, the hunt for bin Laden could not have been accomplished without every form of American intelligence-gathering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/in-short-the-hunt-for-bin-laden-could-not-have-been-accomplished/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Bin Laden was intelligent, well-informed, and low key. The people around him treated him with great deference, calling him 'sheikh,' a term of respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-was-intelligent-well-informed-and-low-key-the-people-around/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I come from a film background as I studied film at art school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/i-come-from-a-film-background-as-i-studied-film-at-art-school/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [I come from an art history background. I studied at a master's degree level; I chose to dork out on art for much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-francis/i-come-from-an-art-history-background-i-studied-at-a-master-s-degree/) [Black Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-francis/) > [I went to graduate school with zero expectation. I kind of backed into it. I wanted to go back to school because I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-minot/i-went-to-graduate-school-with-zero-expectation-i-kind-of-backed-into/) [Susan Minot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-minot/) > [Bin Laden was constantly revolving in his mind the fact that he had got rid of the Russians; therefore, the Americans can be got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/bin-laden-was-constantly-revolving-in-his-mind-the-fact-that-he-had/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [R.I.P Osama Bin Laden - World Hide And Go Seek Champion (2001 - 2011)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/r-i-p-osama-bin-laden-world-hide-and-go-seek-champion-2001-2011/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Peter Bergen > [So Pakistan is a country that I'm very fond of and have spent a lot of time, but it is a country where conspiracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/so-pakistan-is-a-country-that-i-m-very-fond-of-and-have-spent-a-lot/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The deep problems that afflict the Middle East are not easy to fix, but they must be dealt with if we are not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-deep-problems-that-afflict-the-middle-east-are-not-easy-to-fix/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The dirty little secret of the intelligence world is that much of what you really need to know isn't exactly a secret anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-dirty-little-secret-of-the-intelligence-world-is-that-much-of/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Abedi appears to be one of the many thousands of Western Muslims who have embraced militant Islam, often as a way of trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/abedi-appears-to-be-one-of-the-many-thousands-of-western-muslims-who/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Trump has claimed he knows more about ISIS than America's leading generals. Clearly, this is also total nonsense; he doesn't seem to have done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/trump-has-claimed-he-knows-more-about-isis-than-america-s-leading/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [As early as 1993, members of bin Laden's group had been planning an attack on the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/as-early-as-1993-members-of-bin-laden-s-group-had-been-planning-an/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The reality is that Trump's focus on immigrants is to misconceive of the terrorist problem that exists in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-reality-is-that-trump-s-focus-on-immigrants-is-to-misconceive-of/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [ISIS despises the Russian government for its support of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, and so it's no surprise that ISIS began targeting Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/isis-despises-the-russian-government-for-its-support-of-the-syrian/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The Sunni militants that make up ISIS are not the underlying problem in Syria and Iraq, but rather they are a symptom of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-sunni-militants-that-make-up-isis-are-not-the-underlying-problem/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Keeping a relatively small, predominantly U.S. Special Forces presence in Afghanistan to continue to train the Afghan army past December 2016 is a wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/keeping-a-relatively-small-predominantly-u-s-special-forces-presence/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [One of the themes of 'The Longest War,' my book, which came out before the Arab spring happened, was how al-Qaida and bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/one-of-the-themes-of-the-longest-war-my-book-which-came-out-before/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Because 9/11 was carried out by 19 foreign-born Arab hijackers, many assume that all terrorists who attack the West are foreigners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/because-9-11-was-carried-out-by-19-foreign-born-arab-hijackers-many/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I was the only outsider to visit the Abbottabad compound where bin Laden lived before the Pakistani military demolished it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/i-was-the-only-outsider-to-visit-the-abbottabad-compound-where-bin/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) [Explore all 201 Peter Bergen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) ## More Administration quotes > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/what-was-unique-about-me-being-in-city-hall-during-the-giuliani/) [Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/) > [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The only way I'll ever run a marathon is if I'm involved in the administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/the-only-way-i-ll-ever-run-a-marathon-is-if-i-m-involved-in-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system, which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) [Browse all 1,855 Administration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bin Laden comes out of a business background - he studied public administration and economics at university, and he worked for his family company, which was obviously a rather successful enterprise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Bergen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-background-he-studied-public/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Administration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-background-he-studied-public/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/peter-bergen-1880_administration_bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-backgr_2435472.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Bin Laden comes out of a business background - he studied public administration and economics at university…” — Peter Bergen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Bergen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Bin Laden comes out of a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-background-he-studied-public/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-comes-out-of-a-business-background-he-studied-public/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```