Why should we
want an army for the Afghanistan warlords with bacha bazi? I mean, I see why the GAE did and has only now decided it isn't worth it, but why should the American nation have ever wanted one?
@Zachowon All that aside, one thing I think could have been done if our elites were competent is teaching more of the actual US military Dari or Pashto. From what I've read the numbers taught in an official capacity were incredibly low, and the lack of actual US servicemembers who could speak the language contributed to the puppet Afganistan government being basically entirely corruption. IIRC the richest man in Afganistan RN started off as a translator - he'd translate to a local vendor that the United States wanted to purchase X to someone selling it, they'd say in Dari that it would cost a few hundred dollars, he'd translate that it would cost 20 grand, and pocket the difference.
That said, this wouldn't have fixed the problem, because the fundamental problem was that the goal was impossible. What the military should have done is declare mission accomplished in 2009 when Al Qaeda ceased to have a real presence in Afghanistan, or in 2011 when they killed Bil Laden, and left then.
Edit: Great thread from 2019 on the corruption in Afghanistan, as well as the incompetence and ideological insanity that drove US policy at the highest levels, and doubtless continues to do so on many other issues, including foreign ones.