Absolutely not. Afghanistan occupation was pivotal to many American goals. It borders China and Pakistan, giving us a military foothold with airbases within range of both nations as well as the ability to train extremists and have them permeate the borders into Xinjiang. In addition, 90% of the worlds illicit opium supply came from Afghanistan under US occupation, which funded the CIA around the world for decades. We also have all the rare earths and minerals which were more of a long term project.
It had nothing to do with Bin Laden at all, as he wasn’t even in Afghanistan (he was in Pakistan mostly) and it didn’t stop once he was killed but continued on for over a decade
Absolutely not. Afghanistan occupation was pivotal to many American goals. It borders China and Pakistan, giving us a military foothold with airbases within range of both nations as well as the ability to train extremists and have them permeate the borders into Xinjiang. In addition, 90% of the worlds illicit opium supply came from Afghanistan under US occupation, which funded the CIA around the world for decades. We also have all the rare earths and minerals which were more of a long term project.
It had nothing to do with Bin Laden at all, as he wasn’t even in Afghanistan (he was in Pakistan mostly) and it didn’t stop once he was killed but continued on for over a decade