Originally Posted by
Ransom
Really. The exact mirror of US policy on Sept 10, 2001 is the Peter1469, 2020 return to Afghanistan's internal realities are of no interest to the US.
Oh but. Yes it was indeed our problem. "Before 9-11", al-Qaeda brazenly bombed US embassies. Before 9-11, the USS Cole was attacked by al-Qaeda. These operations being planned, facilitated, funded, and managed from a Taliban harbored al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Likewise Sudan.
Correct. On Sept 10th, 2001, few considered Jihadism a threat, had never heard of Afghanistan. On Sept 11, 2001, few indeed weren't standing there with their jaw on the floor watching our nation so violently attacked, few not shocked at this 'Jihadism threat' you allude to. Our own aircraft used against us, suicided into our twin towers in NY and into our Pentagon in Washington DC. Few that morning didn't realize that we had ignored the internal affairs of Afghanistan...and it was to our own peril. Especially given the many attacks managed from Afghanistan itself "before 9-11."
I've read more than a few opinions on that topic Pete. Read media accounts, brought military opinion to the table. Opined on more than a few threads on the local forum, I've never seen a person, much less "people" who are even discussing the 'micromanagement of Afghan internal affairs.' I can certainly understand a debate discussing the internal affairs of Iraq, but even Bush's War and then Obama's surge never attempted to micromanage in Afghanistan.