After 9/11 an ultimatum was given to the Taliban government in Afghanistan to hand over Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders operating in Afghanistan or face attack.

On 7 October 2001 the official invasion began and this is now the longest running war in US history.

Osama is dead and the al-Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan are no longer there. So what are we still doing there...What possible reasons could there be that can justify the continued occupation of the US in Afghanistan?

It is time to bring our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, loved ones home and to stop the bleeding of our economy.

I think it's the "you broke it, you bought it" rule.

You can't just invade a country, smash it to pieces, and then leave. There's a bit of an obligation to try and fix it back up a little before walking away.

If the Canadians want to then they can stay behind and “fix” Afghanistan for them.

As far as I am concerned the US owes them nothing and I have no interest in building their country for them with my tax dollars. They harbored terrorists that killed innocent people and destroyed American property. I did not see any compensation coming from Afghanistan or even hear of any being offered.

Two reasons:
1. Poppy fields
2. Precious metals

Yeah. But while I agree with the point being made and I think it's time to come home now, the reason for staying is that leaving would create a huge vacuum that would allow bad guys to take over again. Let's face it, that part of the world is not known for stability. And let's list the countries bordering Afghanistan: Pakistan, Iran, Russia (or at least former Soviet republics), maybe even China. Don't you think we are using our presence there for a wee bit of intelligence gathering? And remember, poppys are great for funding illicit actions elsewhere in the world.

But regardless of the cost I do think it is time to stop killing and being killed. I think a complete and immediate pullout makes sense. I'm not sure if this news is what prompted the original post but I just read that the UK is withdrawing and will be completely out in about a year.

So what if they do? There are bad guys in many other countries too so should we go in and occupy those countries too?

There are currently 90,000 US troops in Afghanistan. If we are worried about bad guys in the world then bring those troops back home and fortify our borders. The US will be much safer if that happened than what it currently is. I don't mind spending my money (taxes) on that.

Clinton told reporters at the United Nations in New York. "This terrible incident does not change our steadfast dedication to protecting the Afghan people and to doing everything we can to build a strong and stable Afghanistan,".

I say phewy to that. Afghanistan will NEVER be stable. Don't these idiots ever learn from history?

I agree with the 'you break it, you bought it'-rule. Yes, some of the political leaders of Afghanistan did harbour terrorists (or at least the US looks upon them as terrorists...).

However, the general public did not do that, the general public had no say in what so ever.

It does seem unethical to spend 10 years learning the general public about freedom and being able to say what you think just to hand them back over to the first dictator to come around (probably Taliban again..).

There should've been a good plan when the decision to invade was made on how this should end. There wasn't and due to that there's still the responsibility to leave the country at least as good as you found it. Especially to prevent new terrorists to grow up there..

I am convinsed places like Afghanistan pretty much is the way it is as long as you leave it as it is (<2001). If you go in with 50.000+ military personel and accept the death of a couple of hundred of them a year you might simulate some sort of order, but you are really not going anywhere (except more body bags and burning tax dollars).

When all the troops leave (not only US troops in Afghanistan), it will probably turn back the way it was.

Face it, military invasion in other countys with "civil unrest" is seldom a good tool of order and democracy. Grown people need to solve their problems and settle differences on their own. If it takes 10.000:s of lifes in the process? Well, US is what it is because of a civil war... And a war against colonial opressors... Europe had some nasty wars. Two world wars - and the splitting of Jugoslavia is the latest example.

I think Libya is a good example of the opposite. Wait for a grass root opposition, help them with intel, diplomacy, tools and air cover (against heavy weapon). No boots on the ground. Now we need the same thing in Syria...