Does Osama Like America?

[The Duke]

Since BRTD has decided to create a singularly stupid poll, par for the course really, I thought I'd mock him with a parody.

BRTD has repeatedly claimed (and provided no real supporting evidence to substantiate this claim) that the United States was the main sponsor of bin Laden's terrorist network in the 1980s.

Since its obvious that BRTD believes that your personal feelings about people determine who you are allied with, and he believes Osama and America were allied, it logically follows that Osama likes America, right?

BRTD, perhaps you should revise your position on the Iraq-Al Qaeda link.  Or perhaps you think we shouldn't fear Al Qaeda to begin with because Osama is pro-US?  What to make of this inconsistency!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Where did I say the US was primarily backing Osama?

I said that the US was backing forces in Afghanistan that later went on to the Taliban and terrorist groups, no doubt some to Al Qaeda.

[Virginian87]

Maybe he came here as a tourist once and had a really bad experience.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I said that the US was backing forces in Afghanistan that later went on to the Taliban and terrorist groups, no doubt some to Al Qaeda.

Not true

[phk]

Those forces were financed by the US and trained by Pakistan.

The Taliban was essentially the anti-communist brainchild of Pakistan's intelligence service, given American cash.

[Virginian87]

Those forces were financed by the US and trained by Pakistan.

The Taliban was essentially the anti-communist brainchild of Pakistan's intelligence service, given American cash.

Didn't we sell them weapons during the Reagan Administration?

[phk]

Those forces were financed by the US and trained by Pakistan.

The Taliban was essentially the anti-communist brainchild of Pakistan's intelligence service, given American cash.

Didn't we sell them weapons during the Reagan Administration?

Well yeah, but they were largely trained by Pakistan.

[The Duke]

No, we actually didn't fund bin Laden.

US funding went to Afghan groups in the north and east.  The MEK was the ISI (Pakistan Intel) agency that funded the Arab groups, and it recieved Pakistani funding and money from Arab countries outside Afghanistan like Saudi Arabia.

The Taliban was not an alternative to Communism, it was an alternative to Pushtun control of Afghanistan, which Pakistan feared after the Hekmatyar coup.

[Blue Rectangle]

Those forces were financed by the US and trained by Pakistan.

The Taliban was essentially the anti-communist brainchild of Pakistan's intelligence service, given American cash.

Didn't we sell them weapons during the Reagan Administration?

Well yeah, but they were largely trained by Pakistan.

The Taliban didn't really appear on the scene until the '90s.  They don't seem to be an identifiable group during the Soviet occupation.  When they first gained real prominence, during the early Clinton presidency, there were rumors that the U.S. was actually aiding them.  I seriously doubt this claim, considering how far outside Clinton's interest Afghanistan was at the time.

Now, the U.S. did support the mujahideen (and that began with Carter, not Reagan).  Osama also supported the mujahideen, but not because he liked Reagan.  It would be a gross oversimplification to equate the mujahideen with the Taliban.

Also recall that both al Qaeda and the U.S. helped the same side in Kosovo in 1999.  I don't think this is because Osama liked Clinton.

[minionofmidas]

According to the good ole "love the sinner hate the sin" dogma he probably believes he does...