I’ve been trying to discover just what the deal is with Afghanistan. So here goes my theory.
Afghanistan has a violent past, but what country hasn’t? In 1980 fierce opposition to Russian rule culminates in the mujahedeen waging a holy war to drive them out. It takes 9 years ot finally get them out of Kabul. All told 2 million people are deal and 6 million left the country.
In 1994 Mullah Mohammed Omar and his Fundamentalist group, the Taliban quit their religious schools and take over Afghanistan. By 1998 they control 90% of the nation, the rest a collection of factions in the north, the most notable is the old mujahedeen.
In april 1998 the UN tries to negotiate a peace of the Afghan people…it is unsuccessfull. Later that month the US launches retaliatory stikes on Osama and finally the U.N. imposes sanctions on Afghanistan for not giving up Osama.
So…my theory is Mullah Omar is a newbie. He’s been in power for a whole 6 years and has gone out of his way to threaten his nation and himself. I am not smug enough to believe my nation should get whatever it wants, but Mullah has no need of Osama, his organization was one of the ones defeated in their 1994 takeover. Even if the people of Afghanistan feel they were wronged by the US this is not the way to get revenge. Whether or not Bin Laden is guilty of the embassey bombings or this WTC disaster the Taliban would do better off without him. The man is a walking internation incident and the Islamic Fundimentalists have aboslutly nothing to gain by “standing up to the great Satan”. Taliban is muslim for “student” and that’s what they are, students are educated but short on experience. The united states has an attainable goal, the public backing to do it, the help of every other nation, and an Ideal replacement for the taliban government. I have more to say but I’m out of time.