And, of course, to secure the country politically so that construction of the pipeline can begin.
Politicians and politically motivated command staff lapdogs may indeed see this as a two-pronged war, one to eliminate terrorists and the second to create a political environment that will grant the US access to Afghan oil deposits.
The true warriors are the ones who suffer when local military leaders elect to turn tail and attempt to cover their cowardly backsides by demeaning the successes of our forces.