[AnotherUnixGeek]

Yes, we did that in Germany and Japan AFTER we conquered them, replaced their governments with American officials, rewrote their laws, and hanged their leaders.

And what exactly prevented us from doing that in Afghanistan? We didn't even need to conquer them - Afghanistan was and is a shattered country manipulated and dominated by Pakistan. Are we saying the US is incapable of securing a small nation and installing a US-oriented regime because it borders on Pakistan? The Taliban was fostered in Pakistan and continues to exist because of Pakistan - it ruled Afghanistan for years. We can't do something that Pakistan can? Nonsense.

If we weren't prepared to remake Afghanistan, we shouldn't have gone there in the first place. Chasing Osama bin Laden from Tora Bora to a two bedroom condo next to a Pakistani military academy and heading for home isn't an appropriate response to 9/11.

[Jim Noble]

And what exactly prevented us from doing that in Afghanistan?

George W. Bush's cowardice and incompetence.

[Jim Noble]

We didn't even need to conquer them - Afghanistan was and is a shattered country manipulated and dominated by Pakistan. Are we saying the US is incapable of securing a small nation and installing a US-oriented regime because it borders on Pakistan? The Taliban was fostered in Pakistan and continues to exist because of Pakistan - it ruled Afghanistan for years. We can't do something that Pakistan can?

Pakistan is half of the enemy center of gravity. Conquering Afghanistan would have required conquering Pakistan.

When Bush had not arrived in New Delhi by October 1, 2001, I knew it was a lost cause.