Dispelling the CIA-Bin Laden Myth

Fox News ^ | September 24, 2003 | Richard Miniter

[FromAnn]

Two years after the Sept. 11 attacks, no memorial service, cable-news talkfest or university seminar seemed to have been complete without someone emerging from the woodwork to wonder darkly why the CIA ever financed Usama bin Laden "in the first place."

[FromAnn]

FINALLY! Someone puts to rest the myth perpetuated by the "blame America first, blame everything on Ronald Reagan" crowd. The left actually wishes we had given Osama money, just so they could gloat. "Losing bin Laden" focuses on the Clintonites fecklessness but it also disproves the "CIA created bin Laden myth."

[martoni]

I believe that during the Soviet---Afgan war this "chimera" named Osama supposedly went by the name of Tim Osman.

A riddle, inside an enigma, surrounded by a mystery.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

If a CIA officer tried to give money to bin Laden, he probably would not have lived through the experience. The arch-terrorist was known for his violent anti-Americanism. Dana Rohrabacher, now a Republican congressman from California, told me about a trip he took with the mujahideen (search) in 1987. On that trek, his guide told him not to speak English for the next few hours because they were passing by bin Laden’s camp. “If he hears an American, he will kill you.”

Bookmarked.

[avg_freeper]

Howdy, Great post. And welcome to FreeRepublic.

[FromAnn]

Hey, thanks. I read this article and it was such a relief that someone was finally taking this myth down. I just noticed RightWingNews.com has blogged on it too.

[DTA]

The only problem here is "dog ate my homework" quality of arguments.

See this:

"I interviewed Bill Peikney, who was CIA station chief in Islamabad from 1984 to 1986 , and Milt Bearden, who was CIA station chief from 1986 to 1989. These two men oversaw the disbursement for all American funds to the anti-Soviet resistance. Both flatly denied that any CIA funds ever went to bin Laden. They felt so strongly about this point that they agreed to go on the record, an unusual move by normally reticent intelligence officers. Mr. Peikney added in an e-mail to me: “I don’t even recall UBL [bin Laden] coming across my screen when I was there.”

The question Mr. Peikney should answer is:

Mr. Peikney, to the best of your recollection, who was the the person at the helm of Maktab al-Khidamat (MAK) in 1984-86, at the time you were station chief in Pakistan? Do we know that person today as Osama Bin Laden?

This article is an example of plausible denial.

[Ready4Freddy]

"“Personally neither I nor my brothers saw any evidence of American help,” bin Laden told British journalist Robert Fisk (search) in 1993."

I bet no US $$$ get to Hamas, either. Why would anyone quote Fisk, anyway?

"Mr. Peikney added in an e-mail to me: “I don’t even recall UBL [bin Laden] coming across my screen when I was there.”"

That's kinda scary....