Imagine if much of that had instead been invested in renewable energy. The same people trumpeting energy independence could have had it and made the U.S. the dominant renewable exporter. Yet we still do everything possible to equate only oil to energy
Not to mention the reputational damage around the world and the lasting legacy of hatred that will be felt for generations of Afghan people towards the US. That kind of thing can take more than century to forget. The Chinese still hate the Japanese for the Rape of Nanjing in 1938 (there are probably better examples but I'm not a historian).
Independent of the morality, etc. of America’s involvement: equating it to the Rape of Nanking, and drawing conclusions from there, is absurd.
Perhaps I should have just said "Japanese occupation". I did also say my example probably wasn't great as I know very little history.