afghanistan an imperialist war?

[army_of_one]

I would argue that any US president would have had to invade Afghanistan. The strategy would have been different, but our goals would have been the same. No sitting US president could have let 9/11 go without a robust response.

This bears out when you think back to when the US helped the mujahadine expel the Russians. Did we stay? Did we try to establish a strong central government to broker deals for the Caspian? Or did we breathe a sigh and move on?

Some probably had dollar signs in their eyes at the outset, but I do think that was ancillary. The US public wanted OBL and AQ.

 

[TomUS]

I would argue that any US president would have had to invade Afghanistan. The strategy would have been different, but our goals would have been the same. No sitting US president could have let 9/11 go without a robust response.

This bears out when you think back to when the US helped the mujahadine expel the Russians. Did we stay? Did we try to establish a strong central government to broker deals for the Caspian? Or did we breathe a sigh and move on?

Some probably had dollar signs in their eyes at the outset, but I do think that was ancillary. The US public wanted OBL and AQ.

I think this is correct. Even after Bush's invasion, he soon pretty much ignored the place in favor of his obsession with conquering Iraq. According to Richard Clarke (counterterrorism head under Clinton & Bush for a while) Rummy didn't want to bomb Afghan because there weren't any good targets. He wanted to bomb Iraq instead. Afghan was simply a pain in the ass for them as it is for Obama now.

 

[BLT]

Define it as an imperialist war if it makes you happy. However, it is pretty obvious that America has never wanted to be in Afghanistan, it just felt it had to be, what with Taliban forces bombing New York and all.

I'm happy that the Afghanis are defending themselves and their way of life. It would be a tragedy if Afghanistan went the way of Europe and the Pacific Rim, ground under the heel of American imperialism.