[throwaway0a5e]

> The goal was never to "win". It was to build up an army (the afghan army) that could eventually stand by itself and defend the government in place.

And we've done just that.

We're just not willing to admit that at the 11th hour we threw up our hands, said fuck it and decided that army would be the Taliban.

We literally handed them a country and all the shit they need to not be somebody's puppet.

If we had accepted that we'd just be turning over the country to the same old bunch of hard line jerks 10yr ago we could have better prepped for this moment but leaving the place on unstable footing is simply the price of deluding ourselves. I hope for everyone's sake it doesn't turn into a war torn shithole again.