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Originally, the Carter administration provided the means for Afghani guerillas to obtain Soviet made equipment that could ostensibly have been thought by any casual observer to have been procured from the battlefield. It had been originally advised to Carter mere days after the Soviet invasion that with our assistance, Afghanistan could become the Soviet Vietnam. In 1986, the Reagan administration, by way of the Department of Defense, gave Stinger missiles to the guerillas to aid in their fight. Osama bin Laden came to the fight in the early 1980's and with his knowledge of building trades created roads, hospitals and training camps. This was much financed by his own money, being the case that he is the son of the personal builder of the King of Saudi Arabia. In the minds of Muslim extremists, this adds to his status as a hero. Given what he had done to contribute to the cause, there was probably not much reason for U.S. Intelligence to fear he would develop into a threat. After the Soviet pullout in 1989, the U.S. washed their hands of the guerillas, leaving the region with a highly resilient, well-trained group of political dissidents. While it can't be said that we deliberately created a monster, the U.S. certainly had a major role in aiding the Afghanis in learning modern ways of engaging in covert warfare. This brings to mind the Law of Unintended Consequences, which states that for every result you intend from an action, there are at least two which you did not imagine. Though it is arguable as to whether we taught them to how to engage in terrorist-type actions, it is certainly clear that we aided the Afghanis in obtaining the mindset that there was no power on Earth which could not be overcome through appropriate planning and action. We didn't make them terrorists, but we certainly helped to make them resolute fighters in opposition to seemingly insurmountable odds. At least, in this way we helped seal the fates of the victims in Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and New York City. There's plenty of sadness to go around, but it's hard to lay blame on our government as it was impossible to foresee the result of their actions. In doing what they felt was right, they set in motion a terrible wrong. I am frightened to imagine where else this might lead. I just refuse to give up my Constitutional rights to subdue our enemies. If we do this, we lose. Let us pray for wisdom among our current leaders.