[BKLYNH2]

Actually the above account is not that accurate, probably the dumbed down for americans version. In afghanistan Osama was part of a group refered to as the Arab Mujehadeen as the true Afghans drew a very clear distinction between themselves and the Arabs that came there in the name of jihad. Osama's outfit in Afghanistan was a complete joke and were involved in only 2 minor engagements with the soviets during the whole conflict. After Afghanistan Osama was mostly involved in trying to influence the gov'ts of other muslim nations particularly creating problems for the Saudi family which is why Saudi arabia revoked citizenship from a person belonging to one of the most respected families in Saudi Arabia. While he had some anti US views at this point it was not until the US set foot in Saudi Arabia for gulf war one that we became enemy #1. Most Arabs held the US in very high regard for our aid and approach to the Afghan war against the Soviets and the situation in the country was a ginormous mess before and after our help. Mostly it was clan warfare, after the Soviets were out, nobody really cared what was going on Afghanistan because the symbolic victory over the communists had been won.