Let’s suppose the US “won.” What would that victory look like? The Soviets had Westernized Afghanistan such that women were being educated and could wear boots and miniskirts in public. It was probably only the United States attempting to make Afghanistan the Soviet Viet Nam that destabilized the region and turned Afghanistan into the ninth century hell it is today. Although, in truth, the Westernization of Afghanistan would probably have reversed shortly after the Soviet Union fell. The Afghan modernization was only due to the continued and oppressive presence of troops willing and able to kill anyone who wasn’t towing the line.
Given the region’s black-hole nature of cultural gravity I don’t see the US as ever “winning” the culture war. No culture war win and it doesn’t matter how much ground you control. How much blood and treasure is it worth to the American tax payer so that young Afghan women can wear miniskirts and black boots in public? While I feel sorry for anyone unlucky enough to be born in Afghanistan I don’t feel so sorry that I’d spend even a dollar to do something for them. That’s because, as a Marine friend who spent several tours there says, (approximately) “Helping them is a total waste of time and money. They lay down the weapons we gave them at the feet of the Jihadists and perform a full prostration bow. I’ve seen it and it’s disgusting. We should leave.”
One of the great mistakes was helping to kick out the ussr. We should have been overjoyed and helped to ensure a vodka joint at ever corner.