Quote Originally Posted by Lion View Post
The aid was to fund training and arms. This is in my opinion, a mistake. And you're correct, American soldiers did not fight in this war. Ethically though, America's actions showed that Afghanistan was an ally during that war. As an ally, the Americans really dropped the ball there. If you think that there was no obligation, you're right. But it was a low blow to the fighters who thought the Americans had their back. And defend it however you want, they resent you for it.
While I agree with much of what you've said here, I have to take issue with the above comment.

Sending aid to pay for training or arms is not a mistake if the aim of those fighting is consistent with our foreign policy. It was in the US's best interests for the Soviets to be prevented from taking control in Afghanistan, just as it was in the US's best interests to send aid to the Soviets and the British during WW2 to help them defeat the Germans. No one expected us to help pay for Soviet or British rebuilding and no one should have expected us to repay for Afghanistan's rebuilding. In fact, I would bet that many nations would have objected to our doing so because of the influence it might have garnered with the new government.

I do agree, however, that US foreign policy has frequently crossed the line into arrogance. Deposing, or helping to depose, a democratically elected government would seem to fly in the face of the very reasons this country was started. Mistakes are a bit trickier, though. What may seem a logical and rational step to take at the time can later prove to be a mistake, one which may have been unforeseeable.