...Even as its cables and reports showed growing anxiety, the department vacillated between engaging and isolating the Taliban. It was not until 1998, when two U.S. embassy bombings were linked to bin Laden, that officials knew they must directly address Afghanistan's protection of the terrorist's organization. ...
"This is hard to say and I haven't found a way to say it that doesn't sound crass," said former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright. "But it is the truth that those [attacks before Sept. 11] were happening overseas and while there were Americans who died, there were not thousands and it did not happen on U.S. soil."