Widow Testifies at a Military Court

[kandrathe]

You know you're supposed to give arguments in *favor* of your opinion, is it not?

Well, no. He refutes your position as well. According to the quote I left for you, Article 51 would provide for instant movement to prevent further attacks. But, were it unjustified, the aggrieved party could seek redress from the Security Council to force the aggressor to desist.

To review;

A band of mostly Saudi extremists led by a Saudi, trained in Al Queda camps in Afghanistan, then traveled through Germany, infiltrated the US, took up various training for their specific roles within the US. Then flew the planes into the buildings (or the ground for one).

The US tells Afghanistan ruling Taliban to turn over OBL, and all Al Queda terrorists, or face war. They gave them an ultimatum.

Afghanistan asks for proof that is was OBL, talks about how the Koran doesn't allow them to treat guests poorly, suggests an Islamic and UN commission to look into the matter, etc. In other words, buying time to allow OBL and his people to scatter or hole up in a nearly inaccessible mountain cave. Unless you were spoiling for a butt kicking, this was the wrong answer. With this kind of justification, here is where the weaker nation pretty much has to capitulate to the strong, because we can drop enough bombs to reduce major cities and infrastructure to metal infused rubble and the security council will not do squat about it.

The US assumes the Taliban's response means no. They reveal their evidence of Al Queda in Afghanistan to their NATO allies, which is sufficient proof for all of them to invoke Article 5 of the NATO charter for the first time in their history.

Article 5
" The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security."

You will notice that Article 51 of the UN charter is cited by NATO, and that they will defer to the Security Council once they have established measures for lasting peace and security.