As would I. I’m no expert but it seems to me that all of the reasons given are relatively minor aspects of the strategic situation.

It’s true that tactically, Afghanistan in and of itself is of little concern to the west.

That said, there is little doubt in my mind that should Obama adopt George Will’s prescription it will be just a matter of time till the Taliban reassert control over Afghanistan. The logical next consequence is the reemergence of Al Qaeda training camps and centers of operation and planning, just as before.

But that in my humble opinion is NOT the great danger, though it certainly would facilitate the danger to which I refer emerging. The great danger is nuclear terrorist attacks, i.e. Al Qaeda acquiring nukes.

Pakistan falling to the Taliban would greatly facilitate that eventuality coming to fruition.

Pakistan is in danger of falling to the Taliban, at present, as we speak.

The Taliban is now intimately familiar with Pakistan and no longer look at its acquisition as a pipe dream but well within the realm of possibilities. Any future Taliban controlled Afghanistan government will inevitably look to the securing of control over Pakistan as a necessary ‘insurance policy’ against future US aggression.

Iran’s soon to come acquisition of nuclear capability makes the threat of Pakistan under Taliban control and providing Al Qaeda with nukes, no less a concern. We face multiple challenges with the announcement of Chavez’s Venuzuela intent to pursue nuclear technology just the latest new threat.

Nuclear proliferation is now inevitable and it’s just a matter of time till we experience a nuclear terrorist attack. As unpleasant a future reality as it is to contemplate, its as predictable as a Japanese Kubuki play. The various ‘actors’ on stage will have it no other way.

So much for those “fiercely defensive” Afghani tribes.

You don’t think they were persuaded by love and sweet reason, do you?

They too were unable to resist jihad.

Thousands of Americans dead.

More than fourteen thousand Muslim terrorist attacks since 9/11.

Hundreds of innocents, including women and children, butchered in Beslan.

Indonesian Christian schoolgirls beheaded to shouts of “Allahu akbar!”

70-80 million Hindus slaughtered.

The indigenous peoples of many nations and several continents enslaved or wiped out over 1400 years.

All of this suffering and death caused by not “radicals,” or an Afghani “vacuum,” but by Muslims obeying the command of Allah and imitating the example of Muhammad.

In other words, by Islam.

A resurgence in the global jihad waged — as knowledge, zeal, and resources allowed — around the world for nearly one and one-half millennia, and we were oblivous to it.

That’s the lesson to be learned from 9/11.

And since our political, media, and academic “leaders” insist we bow before it, apologize to it, and subsidize it with American blood and treasure, it seems we’re suicidally-poor students.

“the Messenger of Allah . . . would say: ‘Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war. . . . When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. . . . Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them. . . . If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them . . .’” (Muslim Book 19, Number 4294).

“Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from Unbelief), their past would be forgiven them; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning for them). And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone (in the whole of the world). But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do” (Qur’an 8:38; ayah 39 from Noble Qur’an).

Of course, the question is – shall we stay – or shall we go. The answer is probably “don’t know”. Alexander did not stay long (a couple of years I think). He just wanted a secure route to India. If you stay – your countrymen get pissed off. If you leave…. someone else will move in. Does that matter? In some ways yes. YOU lose any foothold and give up some security within the whole region. In another way, no, it doesn’t matter….. Afghanistan has always had an invader of one sort or another. I YOU leave, then Afghanistan will still be fighting, it will just be some other invader.

Of course, one of the reasons why the country always seems to have an invader is its tribal nature. An invader can always call upon someone to provide material, accommodation, food, transport -and troops. For payment. And that is where you make a telling point. Afghanis respect individuals (up to a point) but they have no respect for anonymity of drones and badly placed missiles….

The best answer may be yes, stay – but keep troops on the ground and keep the body count down to acceptable numbers. A difficult task….