Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister and I will have to differ on why the Americans bombed Afghanistan. Only one person from Afghanistan was proven to be involved in the 9-11 attack. Sixteen were from Saudi Arabia. Did it dawn on the US to bomb Saudi Arabia? Damn right it did not, as the Americans have interests there.

The Minister referred to fears about the Taliban concerning the elections. The last elections were rigged. Warlords and all kinds of torturers are involved in the current regime.

That is not something to be lauded and it is the ordinary Afghani people who are losing out. When the United States bombed the country, former President Bush demanded that Osama bin Laden be turned over. When Bush was asked whether he had any proof bin Laden was involved in the attacks on the US, he did not have any such proof. Nevertheless, the former president said Afghanistan would be bombed until its leaders handed over bin Laden and that is what happened. A month later Bush told the Afghanis he would bomb them until such time as they overthrew their own government. It was the most mindless and stupid war that ever took place and it makes no sense that we should have seven troops stationed there. We should be washing our hands of what was done to the Afghani people and getting out of there. The militarisation of the whole region has done huge damage worldwide.

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