Democracy means voting for your friendly neighborhood dictator

[Pannonian]

The invasion of Afghanistan was all about avenging 911. Which is fair enough. If one wants to be respected, if one is attacked like that, it's fair game to go to the origin of the attacks, and smash things up a bit. The problem is extending that mission to incorporate other parameters of success, but still using the justification of 911. If success is to be measured by cutting down on the opium supply, there are other, more effective ways of doing so than building a democracy in an environment that is hostile to that. If success is to be measured by cutting down on the fundie export supply, there are other, more effective ways of doing so than blowing things up in a place that is nothing more than a battlefield for them. For the former, legalising and controlling opium-derived products is far cheaper, far more effective and beneficial than blowing things up. For the latter, it's Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that you should be looking at, not Afghanistan.

[KukriKhan]

The invasion of Afghanistan was all about avenging 911. Which is fair enough. If one wants to be respected, if one is attacked like that, it's fair game to go to the origin of the attacks, and smash things up a bit. The problem is extending that mission to incorporate other parameters of success, but still using the justification of 911.

Indeed. Three sentences summing up where we were, and where we are ("we" being US + NATO).

Declare victory (and let everybody snicker). Hammer out a Status of Forces Agreement, and Overflight and Landing Rights protocols with Kabul. Thank our NATO allies profusely. And come home.

When/If Osama b.L. pops up, nail him. Continue drying up terror money. This could all be accomplished by New Year's Eve.