24th March 2003, 10:08 AM
That wasn't the reason. The presidents then (Reagan and later Bush) just didn't care enough to want to spend money on a country that was as obviously irrelevant as Afghanistan once the evil Commies were stopped by US-armed Islamic radicals like Bin Laden. 
Resolution 1441. I am not saying that you can't try to make it imply that combat is sanctioned by it... you clearly can if you interpret "conseqences" correctly. But that isn't what I'm saying. I am saying that according to people who know international law, the resolution does NOT authorize force. If it had I am sure that it wouldn't have passed the UN...
Oh, and when you look at Bin Laden's motivations I'd say that the Gulf War (as i described before) was at least as important, if not more... the US putting troops in (to them)the most holy country in the world was considered a hugely offensive act... and it gave radicals more support, as well as some 'justification' to fight us.

Resolution 1441. I am not saying that you can't try to make it imply that combat is sanctioned by it... you clearly can if you interpret "conseqences" correctly. But that isn't what I'm saying. I am saying that according to people who know international law, the resolution does NOT authorize force. If it had I am sure that it wouldn't have passed the UN...
Oh, and when you look at Bin Laden's motivations I'd say that the Gulf War (as i described before) was at least as important, if not more... the US putting troops in (to them)the most holy country in the world was considered a hugely offensive act... and it gave radicals more support, as well as some 'justification' to fight us.