I don’t understand the linking in the article between Obama’s 1981 trip and Osama bin Laden being in Pakistan now. Was Osama in Pakistan in 1981?
Excerpt from review of book "Warrior from Mecca":
This particular book discusses the gradual involvement of Usama Bin Laden in the Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union. Bin Laden's odyssey began 17 days after the Soviet invasion on Christmas Day 1979. This places Bin Laden's first foray seeking out what he could do for the jihad in mid-January 1980; he was 21 years old. His first actions were not in Afghanistan but in Pakistan, where he donated $3 million to Pakistani Islamist organization Jamiat-e-Islami (The Islamic Group) to be distributed to Afghan mujahideen (jihadists, but at the time, during the Cold War, American officials would have considered them freedom fighters). Between 1980 and 1983, Bin Laden made frequent trips between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, looking for ways to contribute directly to Afghan fighters. In 1983, he arrived in the Pakistan frontier town of Peshawar on the Afghan border and donated $5 million to Afghan mujahideen groups. During this period he invested another $5 million to create a pipeline for young Arabs to volunteer for the Soviet-Afghan War.
Yes indeed he was.
But here’s what Daily Musings has to say about the situation in Pakistan in 1981. http://jewagainstobama.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/on-obamas-1981-trip-to-pakistan/
Pakistan was in turmoil in 1981 and ruled of martial law. Millions of Afghan refugees were living in Pakistan, while the Afghan Mujahedeen operated from bases inside Pakistan in their war with the Soviets. One of the leaders that based his operation in Quetta, Pakistan was Usama Bin Laden (The Sheik).
Pakistan was on the banned travel list for US Citizens at the time and all non-Muslim visitors were not welcome unless sponsored by their embassy for official business.
The would be only a few reasons a young Westerner of the Muslim faith would travel to Pakistan in 1981:
To Participate in Jihad, which is the duty of every “True Believer”.
For religious education in a Wahabbi sect, Saudi funded, Madrassa.
In order to purchase drugs from the drug marketplace.
Pakistan was not a tourist stop nor the place to hang out with someone’s family in 1981.