Abgo: I quote you directly;
Then they decide to interfere with the internal business of a legitimate State and declare that because they are not being given what they demand, ipso facto they are going to change the Government of Afganistan.
Legitimate government? you are aware, are you not, that the Taliban siezed control of Afghanistan in 1996 from the legitimate Government of the day by means of a bloody coup?
I am quite happy to accept that prima faciae evidence that OBL was behind the attacks exists. Also, one does not "commit" war, one declares it. The "war" (sic) is being fought against terrorism in the guise of the Taliban. I can see the entire logic of removing the unelected Taliban from power in Afghanistan and seeing a representative government made up of both Pashtuns and Uzbecks. I am happy to accept that international action should be taken to remove the Talioban from Afghanistan and place OBL on trial in an internationally recognised court of law to be tried for numerous crimes. Where I have a problem is the constant shift of policy and lack of clear military agenda. For example the US refused to bomb Taliban lines in support of the Northern Alliance as it did not recognise the right of the Northern Alliance to form a legitimate government (in other words, the US didn't trust the Northern Alliance any more than it trusts the Taliban, and it too does not have a glowing human rights record). As soon as the US realised that there was no other viable alternative faction to fight against the Taliban the policy shifted and Taliban front lines are being bombed to aid the NA advance on the Taliban. Yet in spite of all of this, I am still unsure as to what the actual agenda for this action is. Are we looking to kill OBL? bring him to justice in an international court? remove the Taliban? Install the Northern Alliance as the governemnt? make a show of force and go home, pride satisfied? None of these questions has yet received an answer which satisfies me. More worryingly is the idea that the PM, the very person who should be answering to Parliament on these very issues is off galivanting around the middle east when decisive action at home is what is called for. I was personally very glad to see him get "taken out for a walk" by President Assad because it brings home to the King of Spin that this is a serious issue that requires a serious response.