How did the Taliban attack us first?
The Taliban, in nominal control of Afghanistan at the time, both refused to both hand over the Al Qaeda operatives responsible and refused to bring them to justice internally. Harbouring and/or protecting an organization that uses terrorist tactics in your land is at the very least a form of aid or support of that terrorist organization.
The Taliban did not attack us. Al Qaeda did. The Taliban sheltered and hid Al Qaeda. The Taliban was given every opportunity to hand them over and refused. That's why they were attacked. If they would've handed them over, we would not have attacked. Do you think we should've just walked away?
According to my quote, the only person who refused anything was the United States.
But yes... We should have walked away or used our military to attack Al Qaeda directly... There was no need to bring down the Taliban with them as they were not responsible for the attack. Because blowing up a nation for 10+ years even after OBL has been killed and AQ rendered useless is not productive and is actually counter productive. My children are at a greater risk because we are breeding terrorism against our nation by continuing our unjust actions against a government/people that had no part to play in the situation.
We are honestly acting like a bunch of bullies demanding people to do things at our command/demand. If someone doesn't comply. Here comes the bully and his friends to take care of business and give someone a bloody nose.
I'd prefer we didn't do such things, and be professional with our dealings with other people... If that means waiting a few months for diplomacy and try to get OBL detained/brought to justice, then we should do it. But no we blew up Afghanistan. Iraq. Then invaded Pakistan and assassinated Bin Ladin. Not the best example to use as the worlds "beacon of freedom and democracy."
So you think someone should teach them a lesson, just as long as it isn't you.
While an extremely motivated minority can claim amazing victories, when it comes right down to it, nowhere in the world do people want to live in the fashion of these Talibanesque cavemen. They'll win battles but they'll never win the war for the human soul, even in the Middle East. The middle class may wrinkle their nose when talking of the U.S. at dinner parties and on Facebook, but they utterly despise the Taliban.
If we just keep up educating women and children we should be fine. No guns or bombs needed. (Well, okay, maybe a few.)
The Taliban executed people publicly in soccer stadiums for petty offenses. They degraded and terrorized women. They destroyed ancient works of art. And that's just for starters. Forgive me if I don't shed a tear that a byproduct of our pursuit of AQ was the Taliban being knocked out of power.
The Taliban's offer of a kangaroo court for OBL was refused by the US. Would you seriously consider an offer like that?!?!?
Also, it was funny how the Taliban spokesperson in your quote demanded evidence that Al Qaeda hit the WTC as if somehow there was any doubt, yet he had the incredible clairvoyance to "know" that 4,000 Jews knew the attack was coming and didn't show up at the WTC that day. Color me shocked that the Taliban would find a way to work Jews in somehow! Since he was so damn insightful, where was *his* evidence?
I don't care what other people in another nation do. It's their nation. They can govern it by their standards and their rules. I have no say in it, and I should not punish the people because their government is abhorrent by my standards. The only way to get people to change away from that is by showing them a better example. We did not do that.
They offered to give them to an international court, and Pakistan refused because they could not provide the necessary security. But we didn't find another way. We went in with bombs before exhausting all options. Again, we are holding them to our standards...
What do you expect? They have an extreme hatred for Jewish people and there is a huge distrust there. Jewish people are the terrorist in their eyes, and we support them. Is it no surprise they didn't work well with us? So what do we do? Be bullies instead and blow them up. Which only reinforces their ideology and they gain sympathy from their people.
10 years after the start of the war on terrorism, we have more terrorism out there like ISIS, and all nations related to the war on terrorism are in a weaker state. Such as Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, etc. Al Qaeda is nothing compared to what's brewing.
Think of the big picture.
Thanks USA for being a bunch of fucking idiots.