Declaration of War for Tiarnan

[The Great Quail]

Tiarnan writes,

>Incorrect. That the United States refused to supply a shred of
>evidence indicates that they don't have any. A sovereign nation,
>no matter how obnoxious (the Taliban, the USA, take your pick)
>doesn't extradite someone without being given good reasons.

Well, first of all, the evidence supplied evidently satisfied the UN 
and Pakistan. I really can't imagine that the Taliban would accept 
any evidence at all except for perhaps film of bin Laden pointing 
Atta and the others at planes; then pointing to a picture of the 
World Trade Center, and then jumping up and down and making explosion 
noises, and finally cutting them a check for a few million dollars. I 
understand that the advocates of conspiracy suggest that we are 
attacking Afghanistan on trumped-up charges against an innocent 
regime because we want oil. While I do not deny the presence of oil, 
I also believe that the UN is not lying about evidence.

>Who did? Where's the declaration of war?

Mr. bin Laden actually made two formal declarations of Jihad, the 
first one being the most relevant.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A4342-2001Sep21

* * * * * * * * * *

DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE AMERICANS OCCUPYING THE LAND OF THE 
TWO HOLY PLACES [...]

[...] My Muslim Brothers of The World:

Your brothers in Palestine and in the land of the two Holy Places are 
calling upon your help and asking you to take part in fighting 
against the enemy --your enemy and their enemy-- the Americans and 
the Israelis. they are asking you to do whatever you can, with one 
own means and ability, to expel the enemy, humiliated and defeated, 
out of the sanctities of Islam. Exalted be to Allah said in His book: 
{ and if they ask your support, because they are oppressed in their 
faith, then support them!} (Anfaal; 8:72)

O you horses (soldiers) of Allah ride and march on. This is the time 
of hardship so be tough. And know that your gathering and 
co-operation in order to liberate the sanctities of Islam is the 
right step toward unifying the word of the Ummah under the banner of 
"No God but Allah" ). [...]

Our Lord, show us a black day in them! [...]

Our Lord, You are the Revealer of the book, Director of the clouds, 
You defeated the allies (Ahzab); defeat them and make us victorious 
over them.  [...]

Our Lord, make the youths of Islam steadfast and descend patience on 
them and guide their shots! [...]

Usamah bin Muhammad bin Laden

* * * * * * * * * *
Oh, and then there's the Cole attack, and of course September 11th. 
And numerous other activities that are at least tangentially related 
to bin Laden.

>>  Had the Taliban handed over Osama then no military action
>>  against them would have occurred.
>
>Not so sure. That Caspian Sea sure is full of oil.

Do you think that if they would have expelled bin Laden and al-Qaeda, 
we still would assault them just to get oil? Do you believe America 
is that openly, unabashedly evil and manipulative? That Bush would 
have ordered and assault and gone against his series of highly public 
statement to the contrary, in front of world opinion? I am not saying 
that multinational corporations don't stand to profit from various 
manifestations of American policy, but surely you don't think this is 
the primary motive for this conflict?

>Indeed. The Afghans would probably be happier without the
>Taliban, under the peaceful rule of the Mujahadeen, when songbirds
>sang in verdant fields and little fauns dipped their ivory hooves
>in plashing rills.

I think your sarcastic reply is a bit irrelevant. In no way was jbor 
saying that the Mujahadeen, the Northen Alliance, or anyone else 
represents some perfect golden age.

--Quail