Abstract
The withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989 did not provoke the fall of Najibullah's communist regime, but rather the beginning of Civil war between the different factions and ethnics. The US was officially not interested anymore in that part of the world and focused primarily in Europe. However, the USA had kept ties with the Mujaheddins who had received US support (training and ammunition) through Pakistan in 1980s. As early as 1994 and the emergence of the Taliban movement from Pakistani madrassas (in refugees camps), US diplomats recognized their interest: the Taliban and the US shared common objectives, i.e. "eliminating drugs and thugs" (narco-traffic, terrorism) and fighting against Iran. Thus it welcomed and supported through Pakistan and Saudi Arabia the victory of the Taliban in 1996. The Taliban were also considered as the best option for a stable and secure Afghanistan where American companies would invest, especially Unocal and its pipeline project (from the Caspian to Pakistan).
