> if you had one side giving you aid (food/medicine) in exchange for support

I'm afraid you have an awfully rosy version of what life was like for an average rural afghan under American rule.

Here are some links to get started-

- https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/world/asia/us-soldiers-to...

- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/09/us-soldiers-af...

- https://news.abs-cbn.com/global-filipino/world/01/12/12/outr...