>>>Can anyone give me even one good reason we should stay in Afghanistan?
>>>
>>>I truly don't get it. Our interests there are rapidly going to hell yet we are not only still there, we are escalating. Why?!
>>>
>>>Do we have strategic interests such as oil or political alliances? No.
>>>
>>>Do we even have good allies in power there? No. The recent election has demonstrated to all the world how corrupt Karzai is. (And he has the nerve to posture as anti-American when trolling for votes).
>>>
>>>Will the Taliban and other Islamic fundamentalists hate us any less (or more) if we leave? No.
>>>
>>>Is there a threat to our security from Afghanistan? No.
>>>
>>>Has any imperial power ever subdued the Afghans? No. They may not have more ammo than the occupiers/invaders but they are more committed.
>>>
>>>Do we have other things we should be focusing on? YES.
>>>
>>>I can see Afghanistan becoming Obama's Vietnam. Started by someone else, escalated on his watch, turning into a very expensive quagmire in terms of both lives and money. And for what? We don't even have the old domino theory to prop this one up.
>>>
>>>We should get out now.
>>
>>Mike, I'm sure the theory is that if WE get out, the Taliban will fill the void that is left and take over the country again, allowing Al Qieda to train more idiots for another attack on the US.
>
>OK. Maybe they take over the country. There are lots of bogus countries. The U.S. should become quagmired there because?

You are quite right - It's a quagmire for sure and probably unwinable. The citizens still use the tribal system and that is what they understand.