War Handwavium

The main argument for continuing to keep troops in Afghanistan (or increase them) is that if we let the Taliban take over Afghanistan, then Al Queda will return and use Afghanistan as a safe haven to plan attacks against America.

Except, the Taliban already controls about 80% of Afghanistan. Al Queda has left and moved to Pakistan.

When Al Queda was operating in Afghanistan planning the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban controlled southern Afghanistan and the north was controlled by the “Northern Alliance”.

This should highlight two things: (1) since US troops have been in Afganistan, the Taliban have become more powerful and control more of the country. Part of that may be because the Central Government that we’re propping up is as crooked as they come. (2) the justification for being there fails to match reality. There is no hard and fast connection between the Taliban and Al Queda.

This justification that Al Queda follows the Taliban is about as realistic as the “Domino Theory” in Vietnam. We lost Vietnam and yet Southeast Asia didn’t fall like Dominos to the Communists.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/as-sure-as-god-made-little-green-apples.html