The strategic decision that transforming Afghanistan into a modern, democratic nation-state so as to prevent it from being host to terrorist organizations that could plot 9/11 style attacks was conceived by the Bush administration. That the underlying premise was wrong, and the ultimate goal was farcically unachievable, was also attributable to the Bush administration. I’m curious to hear your analysis on what other individuals or administration actions carried more weight in bringing us to this point in the conflict.
My point is that because 9/11 had happened, whoever had been in charge likely was going to do "something" regarding Afghanistan. Now the plan to make it a liberal democracy I agree was rather naive, but a goal to stabilize it and lay waste to the terrorist forces there I do not think was. And the country had become more stabilized and free. It was no foregone conclusion it need end in a big mess. In that sense, I do not see it as right to blame Bush. If we had maintained a permanent presence there to keep order, but otherwise this presence was not constantly engaged in warfare, then I would not see that as a mess. The problem is we pulled the mother hippo out of the water hole and now the baby hippos are all being attacked by the crocodiles that were lying in wait.