I had no idea this was contentious, but it really does seem it is. Robin Cook, a former UK Minister who I had immense respect for due to his stepping down over

I had no idea this was contentious, but it really does seem it is. Robin Cook, a former UK Minister who I had immense respect for due to his stepping down over the invasion of Iraq, had this to say shortly before his death: > Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by Western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda, literally "the database", was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians. [0] As you imply you know of some, could you give some pointers for primary sources surrounding this? [0] https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jul/08/july7.development https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jul/08/july7.development