<< Interestingly enough,
Afghanistans government is only recognized by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. If the US wanted to pick a fight, no one would mind. Trust me.
Russia is still backing the former government in the north eastern part of Afghanistan. They are dead set opposed to the Taliban. You could even see a bunch of nations ganging up on Afghanistan, if push came to shove.
No, Afghanistan would be best to mind its own business, and keep Bin Laden under close wraps.
The only reason the Taliban exists today is that to forcibly remove them would cost too much in material and lives. But give a nation like the US a reason to, and Afghanistan would have a new government in less than 4 months.
Bin Laden has no where to go either. If he returns to any arab nation, other than perhaps pakistan, he faces the death penalty.
He is pushing his luck... But he is completely ignorant of the West, and what an angry US could and would do.
His ignorance is going to kill him. >>
Don't forget UAE also recognizes Taliban. Of course the UAE is about 50% composed of Indians and Pakistanis.
The Taliban got its legitimacy and weapons from the U.S. to fight the Soviet in the 80's. Looks like the monster they created is now a thorn in the U.S.'s side. U.S. never learns.... look at Saddam, same shiet.
I disagree that the U.S. would be able to put in a new govt. within 4 months. Right now the only powerful internal opposition is Afghanistan is coming form anti-Taliban Masood forces. Unfortunately, Masood and other non Sunni muslims have not been very succesful in going against the Taliban. I hate the Taliban, but bombing Afghanistan or trying to setup a new government there in a matter of months is American thinking, which is by far too simplisitic. Religion must be taken into account, diversity in the region, economic, social problems, agriculture (Afghanistan is very arid, desert climate, hard to grow crops w/o proper infrastructure and irrigation which they don't have). Unlike most other nations, who have had the luxury to be able to develop and improve their internal situations, for the past 20 years Afghanistan has been a nation at war, first with Soviets, then internal war between opposing forces. Its a country with a lot of fatherless children. A long term, more reliable solution is a better solution. If you think Osama is a main issue that Afghanistan has to deal with or even cares about you are completely wrong. They have so many other problems to worry about. I think personally, its just a political move by the Taliban to stick their tongue out at the West. Same thing happened with the destruction of the Baniyan Buddha statues a few months back. They knew that westerners put great value in things of the past, and many institutions such as NY metrop. museum, UNESCO, etc gave financial incentives for the Taliban to not blow them up. that failied however. I think the ppl of Afghanistan feel let down that they fought and kicked the Soviets ass back in the 80's (with u.s. aid), and the U.S. never fulfilled its promises of helping the country do develop itself economically. what good are ancient statues to a people that cannot even feed themselves. The answer that the Taliban gave for bombing the statues was b.s. the claim how idols are not sacred to islam. While Islam denounces the use of Idol worship, it also says that they should not destroy other religions.