Taleban will extradite Bin Laden...
September 12, 2001 5:44 AM   Subscribe

Taleban will extradite Bin Laden... If there is sufficient evidence for his guilt, according to the BBC.
posted by talos (19 comments total)
 
I think there's enough evidence from Kenya and The Cole. We need to do this on our terms, not the Taleban's.
posted by owillis at 6:11 AM on September 12, 2001


If the US decides it wants bin Laden, it isn't going to present the Taliban with evidence and a request, it's going to present them with an ultimatum and a deadline.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 6:13 AM on September 12, 2001


We got four airplanes worth of evidence. And the embassies.
posted by adampsyche at 6:21 AM on September 12, 2001


What the US wants is a target.
posted by Loudmax at 6:55 AM on September 12, 2001


If you read a little more carefully, talos, the spokesman for the Taliban does not say they will extradite bin Laden. They say they will consider any evidence the United States can gather to present to them. In a "second phase," they would decide about any kind of "handover." This same article (admittedly, using unnamed sources), claims that the Taliban consider it a mark of honor to have bin Laden in their country... Hardly sounds like a group offering to turnover a local hero.
posted by m.polo at 7:10 AM on September 12, 2001


Exactly, loudmax. It is a common feature of stupidity and downright laziness to look for one guilty party; one bad guy; one target.
It's like saying Hitler was to blame for all the nazis. It makes it so much easier to have one villain; one mastermind; one enemy.
Unfortunately we are talking about different civilizations; radically opposed religious views; complex cultural tapestries.
Instead of looking for the one Lex Luthor I suggest a much easier option: check out who celebrated the massacre. These are the guys who weren't responsible for the massacre - but were sorry they didn't.
You have only to watch TV and check out the Arab press to understand that it is a form of denial to assume it was all the work of one evil warlord.
Would that it were, loudmax. But unfortunately we're talking about millions upon millions who hate our guts. And what is more frightening: perhaps with undeniable justification...
posted by MiguelCardoso at 7:14 AM on September 12, 2001


I agree with loudmax... The FBI and/or the CIA will try to find the persons responsible. If they do not succeed in the next, say 48 hours, they will announce that they have incontrovertible evidence that Bin Laden (or whoever) did it, bomb the hell out of someone, declare that revenge (or justice) was taken, almost everybody in the US will cheer and then... I don't know what's going to follow.
If they do not find the real perpetrators, I fear that more innocent people are going to die very soon, and not in the US this time.
posted by talos at 7:14 AM on September 12, 2001


I agree talos. America's lack of experience with terrorism is showing. People are somehow expecting Bush will announce who is responsible, pinpoint a target, take them out and that will be the end of it.

Unfortunately, yesterday was merely the beginning for the country. Terrorism has been going on for years and will continue until something is done about the problems in the Middle East.

This latest incident is an escaltion of something people in the Middle East and Europe have been experiencing for years. Sadly, even if the US government knows who is responsible they will have no way of determining their location. My fear is that Bush will lash out at innocents allay public sentiment and deflect from the inevitable lack of progress he will experience.
posted by dydecker at 7:44 AM on September 12, 2001


I agree talos. America's lack of experience with terrorism is showing. People are somehow expecting Bush will announce who is responsible, pinpoint a target, take them out and that will be the end of it.

Unfortunately, yesterday was merely the beginning for the country. Terrorism has been going on for years and will continue until something is done about the problems in the Middle East.

This latest incident is an escaltion of something people in the Middle East and Europe have been experiencing for years. Sadly, even if the US government knows who is responsible they will have no way of determining their location. My fear is that Bush will lash out at innocents allay public sentiment and deflect from the inevitable lack of progress he will experience.
posted by dydecker at 7:44 AM on September 12, 2001


If they do not find the real perpetrators, I fear that more innocent people are going to die very soon, and not in the US this time.

Bin Laden warned the US three weeks ago of "an unprecidented attack on US interests for its support of Israel." While this isn't indesputable evidence of his involvement, it's close.

And even if he's not responsible for yesterday's attacks, he's hardly innocent.
posted by dandot at 7:55 AM on September 12, 2001


of course they say that they will aid the u.s. where appropriate. of course, what they're willing to provide and what the u.s. actually needs are two totally different things.

they need the facade of ignorant victim to work for them. the u.s. has made its intentions clear, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. not only will the terrorists be targeted, but the harboring nation as well. afghanistan does not want to be bombed, so they say they will help the u.s. hopefully, though, bush also takes into accounts past actions (or lack of actions) of this ruling party, and acts accordingly.
posted by mich9139 at 8:20 AM on September 12, 2001


even if he's not responsible for yesterday's attacks, he's hardly innocent.

no one's "innocent."
posted by tolkhan at 8:33 AM on September 12, 2001


And even if he's not responsible for yesterday's attacks, he's hardly innocent.

dandot, I was not referring to Bin Laden, but to, say, all the residents of Afghanistan. Or a fishing village in Fiji. Or wherever they decide to place the blame if they don't find the real culprits.
posted by talos at 8:37 AM on September 12, 2001


afghanistan does not want to be bombed, so they say they will help the u.s.
mich9139

What difference has the previous bombing done to that torn up country ? When will we Americans stop thinking of our country as a goddam SuperCop rather than a World Leader. We need an attitude change and less selfishness.

The Afghans have been offering help about Bin Laden since a long while now. The CIA insisted on using the Northern Alliance's Ahmed Shah Masud as their gateway into Afghanistan. Well he might have been assasinated too. So now what for USA ?

The Taliban have been saying that US has to bring the proof in Afghan courts. Why cant USA do that ? Because we have a very big ego. We are super cops. We have bombs that can hit any where. Reality Check. Last time we bombed Afghanistan, No damage to Bin Laden was achieved. Rather more than 5 cruise missiles fell in neighboring Pakistan. Killing and Injuring many.
posted by adnanbwp at 8:46 AM on September 12, 2001


Close italics.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:24 AM on September 12, 2001


The Taliban also made this generous offer after the USS Cole bombing. Bin Laden bragged about that success on video, to American journalists. They have not made good on this promise.

I suspect the Taliban has some rather strenuous "standards" about what's necessary to extradite this guy.
posted by swell at 1:50 PM on September 12, 2001


How's this for a standard? "It would be nice if we had a usable bridge in our country three weeks from now."

(Those idiots issued a press release begging that we not attack them.)
posted by Steven Den Beste at 2:55 PM on September 12, 2001


How's this for a standard? "It would be nice if we had a usable bridge in our country three weeks from now."
What makes you think they have one now?
posted by talos at 3:32 AM on September 13, 2001


Talos, a river runs right through Kabul. The entier nation is divided up by various rivers which all feed the Indus river. They've got bridges.

...for now.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 6:39 AM on September 13, 2001


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