Was the war in Afghanistan lost when it turned into a woke crusade?

How could the war in Afganistan have turned out better for America? The Taliban harbored terrorists who bombed a few of our most iconic buildings by exploiting serious security flaws in our airports. In a world of high technology and globalization, such orgaizations will always exist in the shadows somewhere. Did that justify our attempt to impose "Disney" style values on a backwards country trying to find its identity after centuries of opression?

Is it true that if the Afghan people really wanted to convert to western values, they would have? I suppose we wouldn't have had to fight them for 20 years to "save" them. Thoughts?

What should we do in the future in some similar situation? Thank you.

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spjennifer · 56-60, T

As someone who served 4 tours in Afghanistan, you are not entirely wrong, the original premise for the invasion was to get Osama Bin Laden, not to oust the Taliban and try to impose our Western values on a Nation that didn't want them. Bush wanted to be a king maker and attempted to impose political values that hold no merit in that country. They aren't Americans and don't want shopping malls, Walmart and McDonalds on every street corner and a Ford in every driveway, the majority want to be a non-secular, Muslim Nation and we should have accepted that and gotten out after we got Bin Laden, who wasn't even in Afghanistan anymore.