Reply #1: What Osama wanted [View All]

From Greg Palast's Armed Madhouse:

"I’m always surprised at the debate over “What drives Osama? What does Al-Qaeda want?” There should be no confusion: Al-Qaeda states its mission, like most enterprises, on its Web site. Osama had it written out in English, in capital letters, so it wouldn’t be difficult to miss the point.

DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE AMERICANS OCCUPYING THE LAND OF THE TWO HOLY PLACES? EXPEL THE INFIDELS FROM THE ARAB PENINSULA The “two holy places” are Mecca and Medina, and their “land” is Saudi Arabia. That’s what Osama wanted: U.S. troops out of Saudi Arabia.

Bin Laden issued his demand on August 23, 1996; and on April 29, 2003, the Tuesday before the President was chauffeured by fighter jet onto the deck of the Abe Lincoln, Mr. Bush gave bin Laden exactly what he wanted: U.S. troops sent packing from the Land of the Holy Places."

My comments: Now if bin Laden only wanted US out of Saudi Arabia (and away from it's oil, which he goes on to explain)makes me ask two questions:
1) Why is there still a "war on terror" if "al qaeda's" demands were met by Rumsfeld (who gave into terrorist demands)
and
2) Why would bin laden strike in the U.S if he knew that surely the US would strike back in the Middle East and gain more control of their assets (oil)? He wanted the U.S. OUT of Saudi Arabia and how was he to know the US would not strike there or increase their presence, since several of the alleged "hijackers" were from Saudi Arabia.