The Vietnam war was fought on the theory that if Communism took hold there, there would be a domino effect and Asian country after Asian country would fall to Communism. It was a theory that proved to be wrong but was understandable in the context of the Cold War. So that was the reason given to the public and to young soldiers and at least initially was accepted.
Regarding Afghanistan, there is no theory because there is historical proof that if the Taliban have control of that country, they have and would again harbour, fund and support terrorist cells to go oversea to US, Europe and elsewhere to kill Westerners on mass scales.
Why don't the Taliban just operate in secret caves? Because this limits what you can do operationally overseas and your influence over society. It's much easier to implement your social policies and military strategies if you are actually the Government of a country as the Taliban once were.
So removing them from power, pinning them down in their caves and taking the fight up to them drains their resources and makes them fight for their survival and of course keeps them from regaining power in Afghanistan thus depriving terrorist groups of a sympathetic government. Apart from helping ordinary Afghans it also helps Europeans, many anti-militant Islamic Gulf states, Americans and Westerners in general to be significantly safer from attacks that would or could originate in their planning and execution from Afghanistan. It's worth the sacrifice and expense. President Bush once said we are fighting them over there so we dont have to fight them here (USA soil). I think Germans need to be aware that the same applies to them. The other consideration is NATO obligations. Americans sacrificed much to rid the world of Hitler and then Communism. West Germany, Berlin and in a sense all Germans have received much from others for their liberation from Nazism and Communism. Germans are now being asked to help others who have been oppressed and abused and to continue to meet their NATO obligations which in the past has benefited Germany greatly.
Regarding Afghanistan, there is no theory because there is historical proof that if the Taliban have control of that country, they have and would again harbour, fund and support terrorist cells to go oversea to US, Europe and elsewhere to kill Westerners on mass scales.
Why don't the Taliban just operate in secret caves? Because this limits what you can do operationally overseas and your influence over society. It's much easier to implement your social policies and military strategies if you are actually the Government of a country as the Taliban once were.
So removing them from power, pinning them down in their caves and taking the fight up to them drains their resources and makes them fight for their survival and of course keeps them from regaining power in Afghanistan thus depriving terrorist groups of a sympathetic government. Apart from helping ordinary Afghans it also helps Europeans, many anti-militant Islamic Gulf states, Americans and Westerners in general to be significantly safer from attacks that would or could originate in their planning and execution from Afghanistan. It's worth the sacrifice and expense. President Bush once said we are fighting them over there so we dont have to fight them here (USA soil). I think Germans need to be aware that the same applies to them. The other consideration is NATO obligations. Americans sacrificed much to rid the world of Hitler and then Communism. West Germany, Berlin and in a sense all Germans have received much from others for their liberation from Nazism and Communism. Germans are now being asked to help others who have been oppressed and abused and to continue to meet their NATO obligations which in the past has benefited Germany greatly.
