Quote:
Originally posted by Mr Mephisto
As far as I know, and what I've seen reported repeatedly was that the CIA funded the mujahadeen directly and this included Bin-Laden.
http://www.newhumanist.com/osama.html
(not sure how unbiased this site is)
"Between 1986 and 1989, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia each sent $500 million annually to fund the mujahideen, and private Saudi benefactors, including Bin Laden, sent a total of $240 million each year. Despite the wartime alliance among the U.S., Saudi Arabia and the mujahideen, following the conclusion of the Afghan war Bin Laden and the mujahideen focused their energies on their next target: the United States." (Ref: http://www.ajc.org/Terrorism/Briefin...id=221&pid=737)
And if you don't believe those, how about MSNBC?
http://www.msnbc.com/news/190144.asp?cp1=1
Mr Mephisto
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Hmm not sure how I missed this the first time, but I did and now I would like to offer a clarification if I may. It appears that there is some confusion going on over the mujahadeen. First part of my clarification, it seem that people are interchanging mujahadeen (little m) and Mujahadeen (big M) fast and loose. There is a difference between the two that needs to be made. The United States, through Pakistan, was supporting the Mujahadeen, a political alliance formed between certain tribal leaders (for lack of a better term, they are really more like Italian Godfathers with militaries) of various ethnicity. Now, by extensions, some of this support went to Osama (ass-wipe) Bin-Laden and the mujahadeen (fanatical religious fundamentalist, much like Jerry Falwell) which would later evolve into the Taliban. It is important to note that the mujahadeen is almost exclusively Pashtun, an ethnic group living in South Afghanistan and North-Western Pakistan, as was the Taliban.
Now, in about 1994 the Taliban was formed, with much funding from Pakistan, in large part to fight against the Mujahadeen which controlled most of Afghanistan. Well maybe control is to strong a word, because really the different Godfathers had been involved in a protracted war amongst themselves for control of the country. The Taliban merely capitalized on the internal strife of the Mujahadeen and forced them upwards into the Norther regions of Afghanistan.
Ok so to recap, Mujahadeen equals political alliance between Godfather like tribal leaders, and mujahadeen equals Pashtun religious fundamentalist who later formed into the Taliban. Oh, one final not, anyone ever wonder what became of the Mujahadeen? Ever hear of the Northern Alliance? Yip that’s right, the Northern Alliance is what is left of the Mujahadeen, and here we are supporting them yet once again in their bid to retake the country. Ironic isn’t it? So the real question is, when oh when will we ever learn?
Oh one more thought before I go, if you want to read a very good book on this whole ordeal, go out and pick up “Taliban”, by Ahmed Rashid. Its in paperback so it wont cost you too much and it’s a fairly easy read.
Cheers,
Publius