[Toespi]

Actually, the late 1980's and early 1990's. Which, of course, is Bush I years.

[victoryatallcosts]

Al-Qaeda didn't really do anything until much later than that. They didn't even turn to terror until after the Gulf War.

Essentially, it began as the organization which Bin Laden had used in fighting the Soviet Union. He then offered his forces to defend the Saudi Kingdom from Iraq in 1990, and was rebuffed. Then he turned to terror against America, once Somalia convinced him they could be beaten.