Wait just a minute here. Let's not be rewriting history now. What you say we should have done, we had already done. And the only thing we got as a result of our efforts was the 9/11 attacks.
Bin Ladin was indicted a couple years ago. And the US had been attempting to get the Taliban to turn him over for trial ever since. The US negotiated with the Taliban over his extradition. And had enlisted UN support for this effort. All these efforts failed. All this years before 9/11/01.
Note the dates on these stories:
ict.org.il
November 11, 1998
Taliban Cautions U.S. Regarding bin Ladin Indictment
The Afghan Taliban militia has issued a statement to the effect that the United States could endanger its citizens by attempting to prosecute Osama bin Laden. The U.S. Supreme Court has indicted bin Ladin and his top military commander, Mohammed Atef on 224 counts of conspiracy to commit murder on the background of the August bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. . . .
ict.org.il
February 14, 1999
Taliban Insists that Osama bin Ladin has Disappeared
Afghanistan's Taliban militia is insisting that its controversial "guest," Osama bin Ladin has disappeared. A Taliban spokesman told Reuters news agency that the Taliban had no idea where bin Ladin had gone, but that he had not been forced to leave. "We still don't know anything about his whereabouts, but we have never told him to leave."
Bin Ladin's disappearance comes less than a week after the United States reiterated its calls for the Taliban to extradite him to face trial in the U.S. for his part in the U.S. embassy bombings last August. Last week, President Clinton's special adviser on Terrorism, Richard Clarke affirmed the right of the United States to take military action against nations that willingly provided safe haven for known terrorists. Many see this announcement as being directed specifically at the Taliban.
The Taliban again rejected the American demands to extradite or expel bin Ladin, who is regarded as a hero by many in the Arab world. In an apparent effort to appease the United States, the militia announced last Wednesday that bin Ladin's communication equipment had been confiscated, and that he was under constant surveillance. The U.S. State Department dismissed these restrictions as meaningless. . .
ict.org.il
October 16, 1999
UN Imposes Sanctions on Taliban over Bin Ladin
The United Nations Security Council voted on Friday to impose sanctions on the Taliban movement in Afghanistan unless it surrenders Osama bin Ladin within 30 days. . . .
ict.org.il
November 14, 1999
UN Sanctions against Taliban go into Effect
A UN Security Council resolution imposing travel and economic sanction on Afhanistan's Taliban militia goes into effect today. The resolution calls for the Taliban to hand over terrorism suspect Osama bin Ladin or face geographical and financial isolation. The resolution passed unanimously on October 15. The resolution, which was drafted by the United States, freezes the Taliban's overseas assets and bans flights owned, leased or operated by the Taliban from taking off or landing internationally.
Taliban still refuses to hand over bin Ladin
The Security Council demanded that the Islamist faction hand over bin Ladin "without further delay to a country where he has been indicted" or "to appropriate authorities in a country where he will be arrested and effectively brought to justice." The exiled Saudi billionaire was indicted in the United States for the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998.
The U.S. has tried repeatedly to persuade the Taliban to extradite bin Laden to the United States, or to a third country to stand trial for his role in the August 1998 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The Taliban has refused.
ict.org.il
September 29, 2000
U.S. Holds Talks with Taliban over bin Ladin
U.S. officials held talks with Taliban representatives on Friday, bringing up the subject of wanted arch-terrorist Osama bin Ladin.
The exiled Saudi millionaire sought sanctuary in Afghanistan more than four years ago, before the attacks on the American embassies in East Africa in August 1998. Since then he has been hailed by the Taliban militia as a hero of the Muslim world. The Taliban, which now controls about 90% of Afghanistan has refused to extradite bin Ladin, saying that he is "an honored guest."
Last year the United Nations imposed sanctions on the militia over their refusal to extradite bin Ladin, who is wanted in the United States for terrorism. Experts say that the sanctions have done little to alter the situation. Some say that, having built up bin Ladin's reputation, the militia would suffer a severe loss of face if they now agreed to extradite him to the United States or to a neutral country.
Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering and Assistant Secretary of State Karl Rick Inderfurth met with Deputy Foreign Minister Abdur Rahman Zahid and other Taliban representatives. A State Department spokesman said that the discussions were "frank and straightforward," but declined to say whether the United States had asked the Taliban to expel bin Ladin to a third country. He also said that the issue of U.S. recognition of the Taliban was not raised during the discussions.
On the previous day, U.S. State Department officials met with Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah, a representative of the recognized government that now controls only 10% of the country. The talks focused on a possible peace settlement for the war-torn country.
There was some speculation that the United States may be attempting to cut a deal with the Taliban--recognition in exchange for the expulsion of Osama bin Ladin. So far only Pakistan and Saudi Arabia recognized the rule of the Taliban over Afghanistan.
|
