Perhaps the Afghans, who for a brief moment, got out from under the Taliban rule will look back in joyful rememberance. But, that joy only adds to the misery once the freedom lost. Then 'shockingly' they will blame America and our shores will see the arrvial of the Afghan refugees like it saw Vietnamese refugees. But, since Hollywood is sooooooo Left you'll only see the "Platoon" version of the Afghan war ...there is no Rambo "We you let us win this time".

I think that we essentially gained nothing, but we did seem to at least hold off any other attacks on our own shores by bringing the fight so Afganistan and Al Quieda. That itself is an accomplishment.

Maybe they don't know any better. That's the state of affairs with the poor in my country. Resigned to their fate and seeking comfort only in their faith. they don't care to change things.

The problem is, Afghanistan is still an Islamic nation.  Islam tells the people that they must live in oppression.  Islamic Sharia Law states that the Christian we convinced them not to execute last month, should have been executed because he had converted from Islam.  It states that their women should not be allowed to appear outside of their homes, nor recieve education or medical treatment.  It prevents them from watching television or listening to unapproved radio programs, it limits their access to non-Islamic print media, it mandates every aspect of the people's lives and government.  It's not that they don't know any better... it's that they honestly believe according to their faith that any other way is evil.  Until we realize that, we will continue to waste our time and theirs trying to "save" them from the oppression that they choose willingly as a matter of faith.

Great post, reluctantsinger. there is no easy answer to any of this. There has been an escalation of Candian troops' deaths since our government unequivocably supported our presence in Afghanistan...but you know the interesting thing? the Taliban has launched a deliberate offensive against Canadian troops, because, as they baldly stated a week ago,  they feel that if they kill enough of them, Canadians will demand the withdrawal of our troops...obviously, they read the papers, and see the polls that suggest that Canadians are very divided on committing troops to this war.

And so liberals have gutted our intent, our purpose, our strength, and allow a vicious and unrelenting enemy to see us as weak vacillators.

 As is what is happening in the United States as well. Saddam Hussein himself has puffed himself up and become very emboldened , by quoting liberal media in the States, which never misses an opportunity to attack the Bush administration and question the American presence in the Middle East.

Hitler nearly got away with it too, in the 30's, while the rest of the world slept, and the liberal silly twit Chamberlain, came back to the the English people and said that Hitler was a nice kind of chap....

Some things are definitely worth fighting..and dying.. for. Some of us in the West, seem to have forgotten that.

Very good comment, Mystery. These people live in deliberate ignorance, and are in thrall to a theocratic dictatorship. They live in absolute terror that Allah will punish them  if they do not follow the laws as set down by the Imams. They are totally tricked by  Evil masquerading as Good.

However: the progression of all people depends on knowledge...so when the veil of imposed ignorance is lifted..even a bit...you may be surprised at the results.

I love that line from The Life of Brian:  "What did the Romans ever do for us?" And a little voice pipes up...."um...gave us the aquaducts..?"  :)

Unfortunately, there is a very dangerous question: Can sharia law co-exist with democracy? Is this a war of terror versus the free world, or the free world versus Islamic law and culture? There are no easy answers, but it does go to show that Hussein's blatant disregard for sharia law during his entire reign paves the way for a secular government in an Islamic nation. In a world where there are no guarantees, at least his own tyranny gives democracy an honest shot in Iraq. That's irony.

ryc:  I thought I'd heard that somewhere else before. :)