No doubt about that, but this is not the point. The original question was, if the nations of Europe care about such barbarian phenomenons like the Taliban or not. They definitly do, since they deployed roundabout 9.000 soldiers in this godforsaken country. Because the Afghanis soley produce some opium we Europeans have no reasonable stategical interest in this area except of supporting the WOT.
The US have -of course- much bigger millitary resources than the European nations that focus on the defense of their territory and do not have any interests to be a millitary superpower (except of some weird frogs of course ;-) ). Therefore our contribution must be smaller since we do not have the means to wage a full-scale war over such long distances from our mother countries. Anyway I think 9.000 men are not bad. The situation would be much more difficult if they weren't there.
It is possible that the stance of western Europe towards the Iraq-war does not fit into the wishes of some Americans. Nevertheless you should concede that Europe is quite helpful in Afghanistan. Besides - if America does not wish our help there anymore - President Bush just has to postulate it. Buhuhaha! - It is quite probable that our gouvernments would accept such a wish in a breathtaking speed. I am sure that in this case our troops would be happy to come home within a few hours.
Seriously - I think it is helpful if we focus on the existing problems instead of boiling up old animosities. Schroeder is a traitorous and corrupt Gasprom-a**-licker in the meantime and Chirac a phase-out model. The political leadership of western Europe is changing into a positive direction. Merkel and Sarkozy are different. You guys over there have a good hym of John Dickinson: United we stand, divided we fall. This is not only the case in national interest. The western world on the whole has to deal with this danger (no matter if in Afghanistan, Irak or Iran) and we need a new an positive start.
Oh I agree that Europe is slowly coming around and the help is greatly appreciated. We are facing barbarians and our actions now will dictate the rest of the century.