Talk:Blowback (intelligence)

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[edit] Bin Laden was funded and supported by the CIA

The article previously stated bin Laden "purportedly also" was supported by the CIA. It's not purported -- it's a documented fact. The CIA built a training facility for bin Laden outside Khost in 1986. This is documented by, amongst other sources, the Chalmers Johnson book referenced in the Wiki article. —207.69.137.15 22:10, 13 August 2006 (UTC)

Bullshit. Major POV violations on this page. Had to take it out. Chalmers Johnson is not a reliable source and his documentation is absurdly bad. Every major source on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda directly reject this.

See: the various books by Peter Bergen, especially "Holy War, Inc.", as well as Lawrence Wright's "The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11" (the most thorough history of Al Qaeda); as well as the standard works on the 80's in Afghanistan: "Charlie Wilson's War" and "Ghost Wars" and Milt Bearden's "The Main Enemy". And that's just for a start. These are a heck of a more reliable than some Chomskyite who doesn't even source his claims to anything more than IWW articles.

"Every major source on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda directly reject this" please cite I few of them in this discussion then--Waxsin (talk) 18:57, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Either way, it can't stay until it's sourced by a neutral, facutal authority on the subject. Peter Bergen works for a network (CNN) that most conservatives dismiss as far-left and Lawrence Wright works for The New Yorker (the one that originally published Casulaties of War and Brokeback Mountain) which is a publication that doesn't even deny that it's liberal/leftist. You need to have a better sources than a few liberal journalists. Equinox137 07:19, 6 January 2007 (UTC)

Equinox, if you want an book about the connection you can also read the Peter Lance book, the triple cross. Your arguments against CNN even Lawrence wright are unfounded. it really does not matter if someone is liberal or conservative. We are talking about facts. The fact is, that bin laden group was funded by the cia and usa. we fought the russians using them. we did not use our own men. Do you think it makes sense that we were in afganistan but we did not help setup an anti russian government and groups? You cannot say every major source on bin laden and al qeada just it is vague and a poor argument. I do not know any book that goes against this link cia to bin laden link. In addition, it is uncalled for whoever talked about chomsky, and the argument is unfounded because chomsky sources lots of his claims to different things. Basically, that person lied about chomsky.

My arguments against CNN or Lawrence are unfounded? Says who? And who said anything about Chomsky? Equinox137 07:47, 10 March 2007 (UTC)

taken from the bin laden article on wikiedpia:

Robin Cook, former leader of the British House of Commons and Foreign Secretary from 1997-2001, wrote in The Guardian on Friday, July 8, 2005, "Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaida, literally "the database", was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians."[36]

Do you have any authority figures who say that there was not a connection Equinox?

How exactly does Cook's comments prove anything? Does he have some connection to the U.S. Government or the CIA that isn't public knowledge? Isn't this the same Robin Cook that was part of the far left Tribune Group in Parliament?? The same Robin Cook that was part of the nuclear freeze crowd in the 80s? The same Robin Cook that resigned his post as Leader of the House of Commons in protest of the Iraq theatre? The same Robin Cook that was President of the Party of European Socialists from 2001 to 2004? This jackass is hardly an authority figure that has knowledge of what the U.S. did or didn't do in the 80s. He didn't even get the translation of the word Al-Qaeda correctly.

And by the way, please sign your posts with the four tildes so we know who you are...Equinox137 01:32, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

Robin Cook is still listed in the reference on that article, and the fact that you're attacking him because of his political position underlines your own.

However I think this whole discussion is pointless as the Allegations of CIA assistance to Osama bin Laden article covers this in detail. I understand the original editor may have wanted to include bin Laden as an example, but until this discussion becomes less politically heated I think it is best to leave just the example of Reagen and the Iran-Contra Affair, which by the way could really use some citations.--Waxsin (talk) 18:57, 23 March 2008 (UTC)