Taken from:

BBC News Online: World: South Asia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1550000/1550366.stm

Tuesday, 18 September, 2001, 11:27 GMT 12:27 UK

US 'planned attack on Taleban'

The wider objective was to oust the Taleban

By the BBC's George Arney

A former Pakistani diplomat has told the BBC that the US was planning military action against Osama Bin Laden and the Taleban even before last week's attacks.

Niaz Naik, a former Pakistani Foreign Secretary, was told by senior American officials in mid-July that military action against Afghanistan would go ahead by the middle of October.

Mr Naik said US officials told him of the plan at a UN-sponsored international contact group on Afghanistan which took place in Berlin.

Mr Naik told the BBC that at the meeting the US representatives told him that unless Bin Laden was handed over swiftly America would take military action to kill or capture both Bin Laden and the Taleban leader, Mullah Omar.

The wider objective, according to Mr Naik, would be to topple the Taleban regime and install a transitional government of moderate Afghans in its place - possibly under the leadership of the former Afghan King Zahir Shah.

Mr Naik was told that Washington would launch its operation from bases in Tajikistan, where American advisers were already in place.

He was told that Uzbekistan would also participate in the operation and that 17,000 Russian troops were on standby.

Mr Naik was told that if the military action went ahead it would take place before the snows started falling in Afghanistan, by the middle of October at the latest.

He said that he was in no doubt that after the World Trade Center bombings this pre-existing US plan had been built upon and would be implemented within two or three weeks.

And he said it was doubtful that Washington would drop its plan even if Bin Laden were to be surrendered immediately by the Taleban.

Taken from:

http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/09/24/ret.russia/index.html

"...Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador to Uzbekistan denied reports Monday that U.S. servicemen have arrived in there. Uzbekistan -- which is fighting its own fierce radical Muslim insurgency -- borders Afghanistan to the northwest. Russia's Interfax news agency reported that the U.S. ambassador to Uzbekistan, John Herbst, dismissed reports about the arrival of U.S. planes and special troops in Uzbekistan.

In an unofficial meeting with journalists in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, he described such reports as misinformation. Herbst noted, however, that in fighting against terrorism, the United States is looking for cooperation and international support. The U.S. intends to cooperate with Uzbekistan, he said, adding that the U.S. and Uzbekistan often cooperate in military-technical endeavors."

I know its kinda going out there but a possible motive for the US to want to oust the Taliban (besides wanting to throw more money at the Military)...could be drugs?...since its a multi-billion dollar industry that obviously uses Western banks...

Taken from:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1560000/1560476.stm

"...Farming ban

There could be another factor - in July 2000, the Taleban announced a complete ban on poppy production and then went on to enforce it.

The UN believes the ban was so effective that production fell by 3,000 tonnes.

Unconfirmed reports from inside Afghanistan now say that if America attacks, the Taleban may reverse that ban.

Many farmers resented the loss of income associated with the ban, and the Taleban may want to win back popular support by allowing people to grown poppies once again.

The sowing season is in October and early November, and the prospect of farmers planting new crops means that opium traders are wondering whether supplies will markedly increase next year."

See the US Department of Justice own report on the CIA-Contra connection:

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/c4rpt/c4toc.htm

Read Gary Webbs book Dark Alliance:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1888363932/qid=1001384107/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/102-6654817-4005730

I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that the US Gov recently gave the Taliban $45.000.000 for their assistance in "the drug war." This would nullify the drug theory.

I would imagine that if this bbc report is true, the US would want a more moderate, stable and pliable gov in afganistan for its geopolitical location alone.

Like I said the drug theory is going a little bit out there. I'm sure there are many reasons as to why the US is now against their old friend the Taleban. As to the drug related theory...the only way it'll be proven is if after a new government is installed in Afganistan by the US (which seems more likely everyday)...whether opium production returns to their previous levels........