"In November 1998 the USA offered a US$5-million reward for Bin Laden's capture."
( p.137). [This would have been under the Clinton administration].
[Pakistan refused to help the US capture Bin Laden during Clinton administration.]
"Even though the Americans repeatedly tried to persuade the ISI to co-operate in delivering
Bin Laden, the ISI declined, although it did help the US arrest several of Bin Laden supporters.
Without Pakistan's support the USA could not hope to launch a snatch
by US commandos or more accurate bombing strikes because it needed Pakistani territory
to launch such raids." (p.138)
[The Saudis wanted to prevent the USA from capturing Bin Laden]
"The Saudi conundrum was even worse." (p138)
"Until the African bombings (of US embassy) and despite US pressure to end their support for the Taliban,
the Saudis continued funding the Taliban and were silent on the need to extradite Bin Laden.
The Saudis preferred to leave Bin Laden alone in Afghanistan because his arrest and trial
by the Americans could expose the deep relationship that Bin Laden continued to have with
sympathetic members of the Royal family and elements within Saudi intelligence, which could
prove deeply embarrassing. Saudis wanted Bin Laden either dead or a captive of the Taliban---
they did not want him captured by the Americans." (p. 138)
[After the attack on US embassy in Africa,the US bombed Bin Laden's training camps in
Afghanistan]
"When it appeared Washington was planning another military strike against Bin Laden,
the Taliban tried to cut a deal with Washington--to allow him (bin Laden) to leave the country
in exchange for for US recognition. Thus until the winter of 1998 the Taliban saw Bin Laden
as an asset, a bargaining chip over whom they could negotiate with the Americans.
A US deadline in February 1999 to the Taliban to either hand over Bin Laden or face the
consequences forced the Taliban to make him (Bin Laden) disappear discreetly from
Kandahar. The move bought the Taliban some time, but the issue was still nowhere
being resolved. " (p.140)
"The Arab-Afghans had come full circle. From being mere appendanges to the Afghan jihad
and the Cold War in the 1980s they had taken centre stage for the Afghans, neighboring
countries and the West in the 1990s." (p. 140)
Above excerpts are from Ahmed Rashid, a journalist who spent 21 years covering
Afghanistan Recently, he appeared in the US on the JIM LEHRER NEWS HOUR. He
has published a book, Taliban Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia
The book was published in The UNITED STATES by Yale University Press. Copyright 2000 by Ahmed Rashid. His book has had excellent reviews from many publishers
..................................................................................................................................................
TIM, while Clinton was president the Taliban stalled for time and, ultimately REFUSED to hand
over Bin Laden. The Taliban's leader, Mullah OMAR used the same barteing technique
with the BUSH ADMINSTATION
When Bush ordered OMAR to turn over Bin Laden, OMAR stalled for time
while the mullahs debated Bin Laden's future. In the end, OMAR
refused to turn Bin Laden over to the US. so the BUSH administration
attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Taliban no longer control the
country but we don't have Bin Laden either !!!
Throughout the recent war with the Taliban they have aways asked
for ADDITIONAL TIME to surrender their forces. They got the time.
And we watched Taliban soldiers switch sides or escape
into the hills along with most of their leaders.
The DRUGE report is certainly DRUGE! . I'd like to know who paid for its
publication because it is inaccurate. - Mephisto |
