Taliban Offered Us Bin Laden in 2001 But Bush Said "No Thankies"

[Madeline]

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

The offer yesterday from Haji Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, to surrender Mr bin Laden if America would halt its bombing and provide evidence against the Saudi-born dissident was not new but it suggested the Taliban are increasingly weary of the air strikes, which have crippled much of their military and communications assets.

The move came as the Taliban granted foreign journalists unprecedented access to the interior for the first time. Reporters were escorted to the village of Karam in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban said up to 200 civilians were killed in an American bombardment last Wednesday.

The reporters saw clear evidence that many civilians had been killed in the attack, though they could not confirm the number of deaths. "I ask America not to kill us," pleaded Hussain Khan, who said he had lost four children in the raid. In the rubble of one house, the remains of an arm stuck out from beneath a pile of bricks. A leg had been uncovered near by.

Another old man said: "We are poor people, don't hit us. We have nothing to do with Osama bin Laden. We are innocent people." Washington has not commented on the bombardment.

Mr Kabir said: "If America were to step back from the current policy, then we could negotiate." Mr bin Laden could be handed over to a third country for trial, he said. "We could discuss which third country."

But as American warplanes entered the second week of the bombing campaign, Washington rejected the Taliban offer out of hand. "When I said no negotiations I meant no negotiations," Mr Bush said. "We know he's guilty. Turn him over. There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt."

Earlier, in comments within a videotaped speech played at a meeting of the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, Mr Bush said his country was experiencing "one of the darkest moments in our history. Let me be clear about this. We will win the war on terrorism, and we will also continue to fight important battles at home."

One home-front battle is the growing unease in America about the outbreak of anthrax infections and the threat from bioterrorism. Another five employees of the Florida tabloid publishers – where one man died of the disease – were confirmed yesterday to have tested positive for exposure to the spores. Two states, New York and Florida, have now reported confirmed incidents of the disease and a third, Nevada, has reported discovery of anthrax spores in the post.

Several of Mr Bush's cabinet members tried to calm fears over anthrax when they appeared on television talk shows, but John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, said there was a chance the outbreaks were linked to Mr bin Laden. "We should consider this potential that it is linked [to Mr bin Laden]," he said. "It is premature at this time to decide whether there is a direct link."

Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden - Asia, World - The Independent

 

[RetiredGySgt]

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

The offer yesterday from Haji Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, to surrender Mr bin Laden if America would halt its bombing and provide evidence against the Saudi-born dissident was not new but it suggested the Taliban are increasingly weary of the air strikes, which have crippled much of their military and communications assets.

The move came as the Taliban granted foreign journalists unprecedented access to the interior for the first time. Reporters were escorted to the village of Karam in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban said up to 200 civilians were killed in an American bombardment last Wednesday.

The reporters saw clear evidence that many civilians had been killed in the attack, though they could not confirm the number of deaths. "I ask America not to kill us," pleaded Hussain Khan, who said he had lost four children in the raid. In the rubble of one house, the remains of an arm stuck out from beneath a pile of bricks. A leg had been uncovered near by.

Another old man said: "We are poor people, don't hit us. We have nothing to do with Osama bin Laden. We are innocent people." Washington has not commented on the bombardment.

Mr Kabir said: "If America were to step back from the current policy, then we could negotiate." Mr bin Laden could be handed over to a third country for trial, he said. "We could discuss which third country."

But as American warplanes entered the second week of the bombing campaign, Washington rejected the Taliban offer out of hand. "When I said no negotiations I meant no negotiations," Mr Bush said. "We know he's guilty. Turn him over. There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt."

Earlier, in comments within a videotaped speech played at a meeting of the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, Mr Bush said his country was experiencing "one of the darkest moments in our history. Let me be clear about this. We will win the war on terrorism, and we will also continue to fight important battles at home."

One home-front battle is the growing unease in America about the outbreak of anthrax infections and the threat from bioterrorism. Another five employees of the Florida tabloid publishers – where one man died of the disease – were confirmed yesterday to have tested positive for exposure to the spores. Two states, New York and Florida, have now reported confirmed incidents of the disease and a third, Nevada, has reported discovery of anthrax spores in the post.

Several of Mr Bush's cabinet members tried to calm fears over anthrax when they appeared on television talk shows, but John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, said there was a chance the outbreaks were linked to Mr bin Laden. "We should consider this potential that it is linked [to Mr bin Laden]," he said. "It is premature at this time to decide whether there is a direct link."

Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden - Asia, World - The Independent

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

 

[Madeline]

RGS wrote:

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity. Why was this kept secret? I am unsure whether it would have been wise to at least explore the possibility of bin Laden being sent to a third country for trial, mebbe for a week. (The exploring of the idea, not the trial.) I could have lived with bin Laden being tried at The Hague, as long as after, he was executed.

What would a week have cost us in "dignity" compared to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Middle Easterners and the loss of life for thousands of American soldiers?

 

[California Girl]

RGS wrote:

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity. Why was this kept secret? I am unsure whether it would have been wise to at least explore the possibility of bin Laden being sent to a third country for trial, mebbe for a week. (The exploring of the idea, not the trial.) I could have lived with bin Laden being tried at The Hague, as long as after, he was executed.

What would a week have cost us in "dignity" compared to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Middle Easterners and the loss of life for thousands of American soldiers?

"We" didn't know about it? You mean YOU didn't. Quelle surprise!

 

[American Horse]

RGS wrote:

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity. Why was this kept secret? I am unsure whether it would have been wise to at least explore the possibility of bin Laden being sent to a third country for trial, mebbe for a week. (The exploring of the idea, not the trial.) I could have lived with bin Laden being tried at The Hague, as long as after, he was executed.

What would a week have cost us in "dignity" compared to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Middle Easterners and the loss of life for thousands of American soldiers?

Was it really a secret? I seem to remember it at the time; but maybe that's what comes of living in the present rather than reading about things on forum boards ten years after the fact.

 

[California Girl]

RGS wrote:

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity. Why was this kept secret? I am unsure whether it would have been wise to at least explore the possibility of bin Laden being sent to a third country for trial, mebbe for a week. (The exploring of the idea, not the trial.) I could have lived with bin Laden being tried at The Hague, as long as after, he was executed.

What would a week have cost us in "dignity" compared to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Middle Easterners and the loss of life for thousands of American soldiers?

Was it really a secret? I seem to remember it at the time; but maybe that's what comes of living in the present rather than reading about things on forum boards ten years after the fact.

It wasn't secret. It was all over the media. By "we", Maddie means she didn't know and assumes the rest of the country is as dumb as she is. Fortunately, we aren't.

 

[Truthmatters]

It was denied by the Bush admin

 

[California Girl]

It was denied by the Bush admin

What was denied?

 

[uscitizen]

RGS wrote:

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity. Why was this kept secret? I am unsure whether it would have been wise to at least explore the possibility of bin Laden being sent to a third country for trial, mebbe for a week. (The exploring of the idea, not the trial.) I could have lived with bin Laden being tried at The Hague, as long as after, he was executed.

What would a week have cost us in "dignity" compared to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Middle Easterners and the loss of life for thousands of American soldiers?

"We" didn't know about it? You mean YOU didn't. Quelle surprise!

I have never seen a picture of Glen Beck that young.

He myst dye his hair now.

 

[California Girl]

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity. Why was this kept secret? I am unsure whether it would have been wise to at least explore the possibility of bin Laden being sent to a third country for trial, mebbe for a week. (The exploring of the idea, not the trial.) I could have lived with bin Laden being tried at The Hague, as long as after, he was executed.

What would a week have cost us in "dignity" compared to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Middle Easterners and the loss of life for thousands of American soldiers?

"We" didn't know about it? You mean YOU didn't. Quelle surprise!

I have never seen a picture of Glen Beck that young.

He myst dye his hair now.

Gee, I must be right. USC is whining about Beck.

 

[Sunni Man]

In the Middle East and surrounding cultures hospitality is of huge importance.

If someone is a "guest" in your land.

You are honor bound to protect them no matter what.


And example of this can be found in the Bible.

There is the story of Lot and how the towns people of Sodom demanded he turn over to them the two guests in his house.

As you may remember; Lot refused at the peril of him and his family's lives. And even offered his daughters in their place.


The Taliban where just following their cultural norms.

And they were quite willing to turn over Osama if they had been presented evidence of Bin Ladens alleged guilt.

Plus they wanted guarantee of fair treatment for him.


Given the mood in the U.S. at the time. A third party location seemed a logical to the Taliban.

And they would have fulfilled their duty as a host in their culture.

Sources say the Taliban made this offer also before the bombing.

 

[California Girl]

In the Middle East and surrounding cultures hospitality is of huge importance.

If someone is a "guest" in your land.

You are honor bound to protect them no matter what.

In the Bible there is the story of Lot and how the towns people of Sodom demanded he turn over to them the two guests in his house.

As you may remember; Lot refused at the peril of him and his family's lives. And ever offered his daughters in their place.

The Taliban where just following their cultural norms.

And they were quite willing to turn over Osama if they had been presented evidence of Bin Ladens alleged guilt.

Plus they wanted guarantee of fair treatment for him.

Given the mood in the U.S. at the time. A third party location seemed a logical to the Taliban.

And they would have fulfilled their duty as a host in their culture.

Sources say the Taliban made this offer also before the bombing.

Yep. Unfortunately for them, they should have just handed the SOB and his cohorts over. We don't play 'bible stories' with terrorists.

 

[RadiomanATL]

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

The offer yesterday from Haji Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, to surrender Mr bin Laden if America would halt its bombing and provide evidence against the Saudi-born dissident was not new but it suggested the Taliban are increasingly weary of the air strikes, which have crippled much of their military and communications assets.

The move came as the Taliban granted foreign journalists unprecedented access to the interior for the first time. Reporters were escorted to the village of Karam in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban said up to 200 civilians were killed in an American bombardment last Wednesday.

The reporters saw clear evidence that many civilians had been killed in the attack, though they could not confirm the number of deaths. "I ask America not to kill us," pleaded Hussain Khan, who said he had lost four children in the raid. In the rubble of one house, the remains of an arm stuck out from beneath a pile of bricks. A leg had been uncovered near by.

Another old man said: "We are poor people, don't hit us. We have nothing to do with Osama bin Laden. We are innocent people." Washington has not commented on the bombardment.

Mr Kabir said: "If America were to step back from the current policy, then we could negotiate." Mr bin Laden could be handed over to a third country for trial, he said. "We could discuss which third country."

But as American warplanes entered the second week of the bombing campaign, Washington rejected the Taliban offer out of hand. "When I said no negotiations I meant no negotiations," Mr Bush said. "We know he's guilty. Turn him over. There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt."

Earlier, in comments within a videotaped speech played at a meeting of the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, Mr Bush said his country was experiencing "one of the darkest moments in our history. Let me be clear about this. We will win the war on terrorism, and we will also continue to fight important battles at home."

One home-front battle is the growing unease in America about the outbreak of anthrax infections and the threat from bioterrorism. Another five employees of the Florida tabloid publishers – where one man died of the disease – were confirmed yesterday to have tested positive for exposure to the spores. Two states, New York and Florida, have now reported confirmed incidents of the disease and a third, Nevada, has reported discovery of anthrax spores in the post.

Several of Mr Bush's cabinet members tried to calm fears over anthrax when they appeared on television talk shows, but John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, said there was a chance the outbreaks were linked to Mr bin Laden. "We should consider this potential that it is linked [to Mr bin Laden]," he said. "It is premature at this time to decide whether there is a direct link."

Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden - Asia, World - The Independent

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

What he said.

 

[California Girl]

Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden - Asia, World - The Independent

Read your own link, they did not offer to give him up. They offered to let us try to prove to them, a biased source, that he was involved in terrorism. In other words even though the WORLD had seen his tapes declaring Jihad, had seen his tapes taking credit for terrorist attacks, the Taliban wanted some more proof he was a terrorist.

It was a political ploy to stop the bombings. There is no reason to believe they ever intended to actually turn him over.

What he said.

It's not reading that is the problem. It's using the comprehension skill at the same time as the reading skill.

It appears that the only person who didn't know about this is Maddie. Not "We" at all.

 

[Sunni Man]

In the Middle East and surrounding cultures hospitality is of huge importance.

If someone is a "guest" in your land.

You are honor bound to protect them no matter what.

In the Bible there is the story of Lot and how the towns people of Sodom demanded he turn over to them the two guests in his house.

As you may remember; Lot refused at the peril of him and his family's lives. And ever offered his daughters in their place.

The Taliban where just following their cultural norms.

And they were quite willing to turn over Osama if they had been presented evidence of Bin Ladens alleged guilt.

Plus they wanted guarantee of fair treatment for him.

Given the mood in the U.S. at the time. A third party location seemed a logical to the Taliban.

And they would have fulfilled their duty as a host in their culture.

Sources say the Taliban made this offer also before the bombing.

Yep. Unfortunately for them, they should have just handed the SOB and his cohorts over. We don't play 'bible stories' with terrorists.

So Bush made the correct decision?

And Bin Laden is currently located.........................?????????

 

[Truthmatters]

I see NOTHING in this post to indicate this was the first the OP ever heard of the story.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

The offer yesterday from Haji Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, to surrender Mr bin Laden if America would halt its bombing and provide evidence against the Saudi-born dissident was not new but it suggested the Taliban are increasingly weary of the air strikes, which have crippled much of their military and communications assets.

The move came as the Taliban granted foreign journalists unprecedented access to the interior for the first time. Reporters were escorted to the village of Karam in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban said up to 200 civilians were killed in an American bombardment last Wednesday.

The reporters saw clear evidence that many civilians had been killed in the attack, though they could not confirm the number of deaths. "I ask America not to kill us," pleaded Hussain Khan, who said he had lost four children in the raid. In the rubble of one house, the remains of an arm stuck out from beneath a pile of bricks. A leg had been uncovered near by.

Another old man said: "We are poor people, don't hit us. We have nothing to do with Osama bin Laden. We are innocent people." Washington has not commented on the bombardment.

Mr Kabir said: "If America were to step back from the current policy, then we could negotiate." Mr bin Laden could be handed over to a third country for trial, he said. "We could discuss which third country."

But as American warplanes entered the second week of the bombing campaign, Washington rejected the Taliban offer out of hand. "When I said no negotiations I meant no negotiations," Mr Bush said. "We know he's guilty. Turn him over. There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt."

Earlier, in comments within a videotaped speech played at a meeting of the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, Mr Bush said his country was experiencing "one of the darkest moments in our history. Let me be clear about this. We will win the war on terrorism, and we will also continue to fight important battles at home."

One home-front battle is the growing unease in America about the outbreak of anthrax infections and the threat from bioterrorism. Another five employees of the Florida tabloid publishers – where one man died of the disease – were confirmed yesterday to have tested positive for exposure to the spores. Two states, New York and Florida, have now reported confirmed incidents of the disease and a third, Nevada, has reported discovery of anthrax spores in the post.

Several of Mr Bush's cabinet members tried to calm fears over anthrax when they appeared on television talk shows, but John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, said there was a chance the outbreaks were linked to Mr bin Laden. "We should consider this potential that it is linked [to Mr bin Laden]," he said. "It is premature at this time to decide whether there is a direct link."

Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden - Asia, World - The Independent

 

[California Girl]

It appears truthmatters needs spoonfeeding.... again.

 

[Truthmatters]

Please point out where the OP says this is news to them?

 

[RadiomanATL]

I see NOTHING in this post to indicate this was the first the OP ever heard of the story.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

After a week of debilitating strikes at targets across Afghanistan, the Taliban repeated an offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, only to be rejected by President Bush.

The offer yesterday from Haji Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, to surrender Mr bin Laden if America would halt its bombing and provide evidence against the Saudi-born dissident was not new but it suggested the Taliban are increasingly weary of the air strikes, which have crippled much of their military and communications assets.

The move came as the Taliban granted foreign journalists unprecedented access to the interior for the first time. Reporters were escorted to the village of Karam in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban said up to 200 civilians were killed in an American bombardment last Wednesday.

The reporters saw clear evidence that many civilians had been killed in the attack, though they could not confirm the number of deaths. "I ask America not to kill us," pleaded Hussain Khan, who said he had lost four children in the raid. In the rubble of one house, the remains of an arm stuck out from beneath a pile of bricks. A leg had been uncovered near by.

Another old man said: "We are poor people, don't hit us. We have nothing to do with Osama bin Laden. We are innocent people." Washington has not commented on the bombardment.

Mr Kabir said: "If America were to step back from the current policy, then we could negotiate." Mr bin Laden could be handed over to a third country for trial, he said. "We could discuss which third country."

But as American warplanes entered the second week of the bombing campaign, Washington rejected the Taliban offer out of hand. "When I said no negotiations I meant no negotiations," Mr Bush said. "We know he's guilty. Turn him over. There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt."

Earlier, in comments within a videotaped speech played at a meeting of the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, Mr Bush said his country was experiencing "one of the darkest moments in our history. Let me be clear about this. We will win the war on terrorism, and we will also continue to fight important battles at home."

One home-front battle is the growing unease in America about the outbreak of anthrax infections and the threat from bioterrorism. Another five employees of the Florida tabloid publishers – where one man died of the disease – were confirmed yesterday to have tested positive for exposure to the spores. Two states, New York and Florida, have now reported confirmed incidents of the disease and a third, Nevada, has reported discovery of anthrax spores in the post.

Several of Mr Bush's cabinet members tried to calm fears over anthrax when they appeared on television talk shows, but John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, said there was a chance the outbreaks were linked to Mr bin Laden. "We should consider this potential that it is linked [to Mr bin Laden]," he said. "It is premature at this time to decide whether there is a direct link."

Bush rejects Taliban offer to surrender bin Laden - Asia, World - The Independent

Who said it had to be in the OP?

Her next post had this:

I can understand your POV, RGS. I'm more disturbed that we never knew this in 2001 than by whether it was a missed opportunity.

Not our fault that you have problems comprehending things.

 

[Truthmatters]

where did she say she never heard this before?