There were a million options besides war, which is the Bush preferred option for reasons not publically stated.

One would have to FIRST define the goal. As I recall, the public goals in Afghanistan were to get OBL, and then al-Qaeda. As the drums beat, it became womens rights. Oh, God, we were going to see those oppressed women FREED!

The Taliban was willing to give up OBL and al-Qaeda until it became clear Bush wouldn't settle for that.

So at that point one knew the public goals weren't the operative goals. And the only operative reason people go to war is over money, in one form or another.

So, anyone really interested in OBL could have got him. But he was an excuse.

Y'see, it's all excuses. It was Saudis who flew those planes into the WTC. Saudi Arabians. Not Afghanistanis, not Iraqis, but citizens of Saudi Arabia.

There are a million ways to do things besides war, especially a war against the tribes of Afghanistan. One must have honest goals, however. ONLY if one wants to control the country and it's assets does one pick an optional war. Remember that.

So, Bush was deceptive regarding the reasons for invading Afghanistan, too, and has made a mess of it, too.

Arf