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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RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M

I know what you're suggesting : that the secondary phase of the war , the strategy of nation building was doomed from the start. And I actually agree. But why on earth would you choose to characterise it as a 'woke crusade' ?

irishmolly72 · 56-60, F

@RodionRomanovitch Bush used the word "crusade". The west tried to impose woke values in a country not nearly agreeable to such things. Thus woke crusade.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@irishmolly72 It appears much of Afghanistan was ready to be "woke" -- or at least move forward -- but the extreme right used violence to take over. Happens a lot of places, it seems.

RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M

@irishmolly72 The west tried to impose democratic values. 'Woke' has nothing to do with this.

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@irishmolly72 Anyone suggesting the Bush administration was "woke" in any capacity is just comical. Further proof to me that in the current GOP Ronald Reagan would be a commie pinko.

RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M

@ChipmunkErnie 'woke' has absolutely nothing to do with it. The way this word is being bandied about now strips it of any meaning.

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@RodionRomanovitch At this point it is a meaningless word that just means whatever conservatives don't like at any given moment.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@RodionRomanovitch True re "woke". Re "imposing" democratic values, is it imposition if a large percentage of a population WANTS those values but can't fight their oppressors successfully.

irishmolly72 · 56-60, F

@ChipmunkErnie To have the temerity to make that claim is the essence of hegemon. America is a failure as a hegemon.

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@irishmolly72 Empire is for fools.

RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M

@ChipmunkErnie It was the OP who said imposed , I was just swapping out woke for democratic.

You have to wonder , with hindsight , just how large a percentage of them did actually believe in the entire thing in the first place.