Just to set the table I served two yours in Nam by choice and learned a lot about war and peoples beliefs. So first if you have not read Art of War by Sun Tzu then you have zero idea what drives the Taliban's tactics, Westmoreland didn't get it in Nam either.

Afghanistan is a Fundamentalist Moslem nation and by definition rejects our so called modern social values. Second we had no damn business even being there let alone think the US could put in place a western style democracy. As to the national army we created for them one should grasp we trained them to fight our way and pull all the technical warfare out the national army would get ate alive. As in many places when you create a puppet army on paper you have to realize the soldiers must be willing to believe in dying for it. Just as the Russians found out as did the Brits before them Afcans are willing to die for their Moslem beliefs not western values.

So just because western nations seem to feel that they are the judges of right and wrong for this worlds many peoples and beliefs does not make it so. When attacked the US military should do what its purpose is, to kill, maim, and destroy in defense or in the name of the citizens of the USA. In other words get the job done and get their butts back home. If their ever was a valid reason for being in Afghanistan many years back it has long since passed. Simple fact is as in Nam and many other places you cannot purchase legitimacy for a government. I had a good commanding officer who told us that when facing a foe who is willing to fight and die for their beliefs your only option is help them achieve their goals as conversation is useless.

If you don't have the guts as a nation to do that then you should never head down that road. As to money Mr. Lincoln once said that 1 out of every 3 dollars spent on the Union forces went to graft and corruption. It is no different now than then and will be the same in the future as human nature and greed does not change. By the way Todd if it was about money damn we didn't get much of a deal through 3 presidents and I doubt if the current one will do much better. Lets hope they at least destroy the paper trail that identifies those who worked with us, that would be different .

A PM asked ? on paper trail. Do a search on Phoenix Nam not the bird. Learn what war is really about.