Bin Laden & the US, what are the real links?

[Mark T]

After watching some of the 9/11 videos on YouTube yesterday (tributes, not conspiracy) I came across a video which linked Osama Bin Laden and his family to the CIA and the US government.

I have read previously that the Bin Laden family were one of the biggest construction groups in Saudi Arabia and that is how the link to the US government came about.

I know that there are a load of conspiracy theories, most of which are completely absurd. All I want to know is what the REAL connection was between the US and the Bin Laden family.

Hopefully someone can provide me with a clear answer as every search I do brings up conspiracy links.

 

[TheCracker]

Wiki knows all.

 

[Touring Mars]

I've also read the conspiracy theories about the US funding the Afghanistan people to fight the Soviets

That's certainly not a conspiracy theory - it's a well-established fact... plenty of info about it on Wikipedia here. Osama Bin Laden also supported the Mujahideen (source). It's hardly surprising that the US and the Mujahideen were once batting for the same team, allied against a common foe, albeit for different reasons. (The US against the spread of Communism, Mujahideen fighting against an occupying (and athiest) enemy).

The specific, recent connections between the Bush family and the Bin Laden family were discussed at some length in Farhenheit 911, and George Bush Snr. even attended a meeting with Salem Bin Laden on Sept. 10th, 2001. However, it's hardly surprising that former president George H. W. Bush, a Texan businessman in the oil industry (not to mention a former US President!) would have strong connections to super-rich Saudi investors like Salem Bin Laden. There are plenty of real connections, but there's no evidence whatsoever that any of those connections lead to Osama Bin Laden directly.

 

[Mark T]

That's certainly not a conspiracy theory - it's a well-established fact... plenty of info about it on Wikipedia here. Osama Bin Laden also supported the Mujahideen (source). It's hardly surprising that the US and the Mujahideen were once batting for the same team, allied against a common foe, albeit for different reasons. (The US against the spread of Communism, Mujahideen fighting against an occupying (and athiest) enemy).

The specific, recent connections between the Bush family and the Bin Laden family were discussed at some length in Farhenheit 911, and George Bush Snr. even attended a meeting with Salem Bin Laden on Sept. 10th, 2001. However, it's hardly surprising that former president George H. W. Bush, a Texan businessman in the oil industry (not to mention a former US President!) would have strong connections to super-rich Saudi investors like Salem Bin Laden. There are plenty of real connections, but there's no evidence whatsoever that any of those connections lead to Osama Bin Laden directly.

Thanks for clearing that up. I did read that the Bin Laden family disowned Osama when there was a fall out over the US occupation of Saudi Arabia while preparing for the Gulf War.

 

[Touring Mars]

In the film Farhenheit 911, Michael Moore makes it reasonably clear that the Bin Laden family's definition of 'disowned' is fairly loose. Although before 9/11, Bin Laden attended a family wedding on January 2001 (Source), despite the fact that Osama Bin Laden was already on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. Incredibly, that listing doesn't even mention 9/11!... so the family that allegedly 'disowned' Bin Laden were apparently perfectly happy to have him knocking around while he was wanted for mass murder and terrorist attacks against US interests. I don't always agree with Michael Moore, but I'd say his skepticism about the Bin Laden family having disowned Osama long ago was pretty spot on...

Sheikh Ahmad said he and his mother last saw bin Laden at the January 2001 wedding of one of Osama's sons in Afghanistan. It was at that wedding that Sheikh Ahmad said his infamous brother told him that stories he required kidney dialysis were not true.

"He loved his family and friends, gatherings. He especially adores his mother. First comes God, then his mother," Sheikh Ahmad said.

 

[FoolKiller]

I would have to say that while the bin Laden family may not cast him out 100% (at least not prior to 9/11) I doubt their mindsets are roughly the same as his niece is trying fairly hard to become an American sex symbol.

"I was born in the States, and I want people to know I'm American, and I want people to understand that I'm like anyone in New York. For me, it's home," she said.

Osama must hate this, and if the rest of the family isn't kicking her out I can only assume they are less fanatical.



I never got to concerned that Americans had ties with Osama's family. I mean, my uncle is a drunken fool with a large arrest record from drug possession to multiple DUIs. That doesn't mean I approve, agree, or participate. Now, if I found American money was being funneled from the bin Laden family's business interests to Osama then I would be concerned.

I think that had a different terrorist been in charge and been part of a rich family they would have had American ties as well. The connections were legitimate and I will not fault his family for allowing him at a family event. I'm sure at that time he was seen as more of crazy Uncle Osama just leading another crazy crusade.

Knowing how many political arguments pop up in my family I would love to have sat in on some of their family dinners.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Slightly off-topic. I've said it before to my friends and i'll say it again. The United States Government knows exactly where bin Laden is, and they could have wiped out his operation by now for a fraction of the cost that we have spent in Iraq. The only reason the US hasn't done so yet is because this would mean we no longer have as much of a reason to be over in the Middle East.

The government would rather have us live in fear by keeping him alive & operating, so they can use his occasional communications as an excuse to be over there.

 

[V1P3R]

Slightly off-topic. I've said it before to my friends and i'll say it again. The United States Government knows exactly where bin Laden is, and they could have wiped out his operation by now for a fraction of the cost that we have spent in Iraq. The only reason the US hasn't done so yet is because this would mean we no longer have as much of a reason to be over in the Middle East.

The government would rather have us live in fear by keeping him alive & operating, so they can use his occasional communications as an excuse to be over there.

I'll agree with that but to keep us in fear? uh... no... He doesn't give a **** about the American public's opinion. It's because he has favors and companies to please that set up shop in the Middle East. Not to mention the oil from there.

 

[Kylehnat]

Slightly off-topic. I've said it before to my friends and i'll say it again. The United States Government knows exactly where bin Laden is, and they could have wiped out his operation by now for a fraction of the cost that we have spent in Iraq. The only reason the US hasn't done so yet is because this would mean we no longer have as much of a reason to be over in the Middle East.

But we definitely know bin Laden is not in Iraq, so the Bush administration would have used the same reasons for Iraq whether we had bin Laden or not.

 

[niky]

+1.

It'd be a public relations coup for the US to have Osama's head on a silver platter... or, better yet, to have him tried and convicted of crimes in some Middle Eastern state.

Whatever ties Osama has with the US and Bush, he has because of his family, no conspiracy there.

And to assume that any government is cogent and coordinated enough to pull off a massive conspiracy to hide one terrorist, considering they weren't even alert enough to figure out one of their moles into Al-Quaeda was one of Osama's most-trusted henchmen (the guy who helped orchestrate both WTC attacks)... is granting them too much credit.

The US-Afghanistan connection is one of the biggest successes of the CIA. With minimal investment, they were able to kick the Russians out of Afghanistan. Too bad former allies became enemies, but that's geo-politics...