On the other hand, NATO etc. have been exercising the non-pacifist option in Afghanistan for the last 20 years or so, with very few results to show for it.
> Pacifism = "if you attack me, I will not stop you"
Yeah but the Taliban (or the the Afghanis in general, for that matter) didn't attack anyone.
A bunch of radicals made 9/11 happen, and as it happens, the main guy behind it happened to be in Afghanistan and on somewhat okay-ish terms with the Taliban, but the Taliban themselves were perfectly okay to negotiate his extradition if my understanding is correct. That is, they were, until the first bombs started to drop.
For all I care, Afghanistan was a bloody revenge war, nothing but catharsis for the bruised American soul. It was never about the women or democracy or the well-being of the Afghanis in general, because if that was the case, the US might as well have started with Saudi Arabia (which had probably more to do with al Qaeda than Afghanistan to begin with). In my opinion, it wasn't even about OBL, because otherwise the US would've taken the Pakistani coddling with extremists (and ultimately the sheltering thereof) more serious than they did.
Anyway, I'm already ranting again... I just sometimes wish everyone on this planet was a bit more naive, you know, and just believed in the general good of the people. Yes, there are always a few crazy outliers, yes, there are always those who try to gain advantage and power by manipulating the masses by abusing their fear and primal instincts, but in general, most human beings just want to live a peaceful live, not having to worry about drones and bombs and stray bullets and whatnot. And by believing all together in this common good, I think the world might just be a little bit a better place. At least in my pipe dreams...
Apparently the Taliban offered up Osama in 1996 after the Taliban had captured his territory, this isn't the same thing as the Taliban didn't attack anyone. Osama continued to attack the US and Afghanis with the protection of the Taliban after 1998.
