Fedora :: Script To Automate Backups - Storing Copy In Root Directory

Making a script. This is for my linux class. Basically when you run it, whatever directory it is in, zips everything, backs it up to the folder its in, and also makes a copy of it in the root directory. Here is what I have, but its not running right.

Code:
#!/bin/bash
echo
echo
echo "Automate Backups"
echo -n "Would you like to backup? Y or N:"
read answer1
if [$answer1 = "y"]
then
if [$USER = "root"]
then
echo
tar -cPvzf "$USER"_backup.tar.gz.`date +%F` /"$USER"/*
cp "$USER"_backup.tar.gz.`date +%F` /backups/"$USER"_backup.tar.gz.`date +%F`
echo "Successful Backup"
fi
echo
tar -cPvzf "$USER"_backup.tar.gz.`date +%F` ~/"$USER"/*
cp "root"_backup.tar.gz.`date +%F` /backups/"$root"_backup.tar.gz.`date +%F`
echo "Successful Backup"