Quote Originally Posted by reed11b View Post
If we had removed the Taliban from power and left after Karzai had been elected, The Taliban would have attacked all the same w/ exactly the same base of support, which is limited and ruled through fear again. Our presence does little to attract support to the Taliban except when we choose to act poorly (i.e. Air Strikes). If it was a popular uprising then I would say your points had more merit.
While I agree that the Taliban would have attacked the Karzai government with or without a coalition presence, I think it would be a mistake to underestimate the extent to which the presence of foreign troops both undermines Karzai's legitimacy (especially in the south) and generates popular resentment (thereby facilitating Taliban recruitment). The Taliban's base of support does not wholly rest on fear.

This isn't to say that the Afghan government would be more stable or successful without a coalition presence. The positives, for now, outweigh the negatives.

It is to say, however, that the local political and ideological consequences of a foreign military presence are far from inconsequential, and need to recognized and addressed.