John Walker Lindh

I didn't know there was a pipeline project, learn something new everyday.

But doesn't the US buy most of it's oil through OPEC in the middle east? How would this work exactly if the pipeline went through?

The only reason I could think the US government would support them is because another major faction was supported by the Russians and since Pakistan supported the other faction, the Taliban, the US probably gave money to support them.

Other then that I honestly believe the US government wiped their hands of them when they were sure the region was secure and the Russians didn't get their chosen faction in place, thus winning a small war so to speak. If they continued to support them, they were probably doing so to get their hands on Osama for the 1993 attack.

Other then that, their was no real strategic reason to support them. Well, as far as I could see anyways. I'm not sure if I gave the best reasoning, I'd like to think their was a good reason other then dumping money into countries for no apparent reason, example: Israel...

The Ice Skating Institute supported tha Taliban? Those bastards! Whats the ISI?

Only three countries recognized the Taliban, Pakistan, Unite Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

If the US did support them for whatever reason, it would have been because of Pakistan did since the US would prefer a Pakistan supported government rather then a Russian Northern Alliance supported faction. It was a civil war. Omar, the leader of the newly formed faction of the Taliban went to Pakistan in 1994 where they got training and weapons.

I wouldn't say anybody knew how the Taliban would turn out compared to all the other factions. And theres really no evidence of the US supporting the taliban at all. Just speculation.

Besides, we sent a Cruise Missle into Afghanistan in 1998 to destroy a Al Qaida terrorist camp. If we had any form of diplomatic relations with the Taliban, I doubt we would do that.

We had always had terrible relations with the Taliban, we had supported groups like the Taliban throughout Afghanistan but when the Soviets left and their puppet regime fell, the State Department basically washed their hands of Afghanistan.

Yes, that is a picture of me.

That's not quite true. If they were born outside America, they would be American citizens (like it or not) if

a) a parent was a US Citizen who had resided in America before the childs birth

AND (b) after the birth the baby was taken to a US consulate and a declaration of citizenship sworn out

AND (c) the child spent a certain amount of time living in the US before the age of 18 (I forget exactly how long).

As I understand it, if both parents were US citizens, then (c) is not required.

But I agree that once a citizen it's pretty impossible to opt out again.

There is more information that you would probably care to know about at

http://foia.state.gov/masterdocs/07fam/07m1130.pdf

(I'm fairly familiar with this because of  my stepdaughter's situation, and my involvement with the expatriate US community here.)

That's very true, and a very good question.  I recall that he used to be a really hardcore partier and a big fan of gangster rap and stuff, but eventually rejected it and went to the opposite end of the spectrum by embracing puritanical Islam. 

It would be interesting to read a psychoanalytical analysis of him.

Basically I go with Constantine on this. But it^s not too easy to renounce one's citizenship unilaterally.

William Joyce ('Lord Haw-Haw') claimed to be not a British subject when he was broadcasting for the Nazis, but he was nevertheless hanged for treason after the war.