“When I was over there back in 2003, I was able to talk to some younger (teenage, early to mid 20s) Afghans. Every one of them that I talked to wanted to rid themselves of the old oppressive culture, and join the rest of the world in the 21st century”
This is why I believe the best thing we could have done was to send thousands of Afghans to study abroad (Europe) where they could learn to use computers and drive cars. (Girls educated in this way would never want to go back to wearing beekeeper outfits).
That was where our “allies” could have helped out—rather than by sending token troop forces.
It’s ten years too late to start that now; but you can imagine the results of educating ten years’ worth of
Afghan youth in the West.
There still would have been time, if Obama hadn’t completely ruined the ROE, turning our troops into sitting ducks. They might not like it, but those Afghan civilians have to pretend to like the stronger horse.