BBC, 1997 - 'Taleban in Texas for talks on gas pipeline':
Thanks go out to the young woman on MSNBC's "people's debate" tonight suggesting that viewers go to the BBC Web site and look up the article "Taliban in Texas." While doing a google.com search on "BBC, Taliban, Texas," I was able to find this link from Dec. 1997.
I have heard numerous rumors that the whole take over of Afghanistan had something to do with a natural gas pipeline. Some have even suggested that Sept 11 was a set-up, with CIA spooks setting up the whole thing in order to blame it on Al-Quaida, so the military could take over the country and get the pipeline built [I believe this was someone on the Counterpunch.com site]. But this is the first time I have seen a fuel company [Unocal] linked to the Taliban. The value of the pipeline was reported to be about $2 billion. As well, according to the article, it looks like the Taliban was going to grant the pipeline contract to an Argentinian firm. Hmmm.

Whoever you are young lady, thank you!

Update: There is also a link to a Dec. 14 article "Oil barons court Taliban in Texas" but the link is out of order. Other links include:"The Enron-Cheney-Taliban Connection?" "US inform allies of Afghanistan invasion before Sept. 11"