Initially there was little ground activity involved by reguzlar US armed forces. The campaign that discplaed Al Quaeda and Mullah Omar from Afghanbistan and into Pakistan, was for the most an air-based camoaign with special forces on the ground for intel, training the Mujaheddin, and target ID. AQ and MO then evaded into Pakistan and took support by the Pakistani secret servicew ISI, until the day Bin Laden was killed.
I personally would have left any idea of nation building in Afghanistan out of the effort, but would have shifted the centre of the war from Afghanistan to the place sin Pakiustan where AQ and the Taliban were finding shelter. And again, I would have focussed on using air-borne and not so much ground resources. With drone warfare unfolding more and more over the past ten years, that would have been the weapon of choice, together with ELINT, HUMINT, special forces.
I would have never considered to try changing Afghanistan into something different. What has been done, will get lost over the next couple of years. The little progress here and there, will get lost. The place is not worth the life of a single Westernb soldier.
And the big bad enemy in the region is Pakistan anyway.
Of course, a shifting of focus and resources form Afghanistan would not have happened with me, too. Because there would not hjave been an Iraq war - maybe later for very good reasons emerging in the years since 2003 which may have become significant. But that is speculation. For the lies given to the public, and for the (planned) profit interests of American companies associated with Cheney, Bush, Carlyle group and Halliburton and so on - no invasion would have happened.
Israel is trying since long time to close ties and military relations with India. Last time I read ab out it they are doing fine. America should follow that example. That would be a move against China, and Pakistan, and Northkorea. Skip Pakistan from the buddy list.
American relations with certain gulf states also need serious reconsidering. One tgries to dance with friends and enemies at the same time, and one tries to dance on the parties of Israel's enemies and it's more neutral diplomatic partners at the same time. The American egg-dance in the ME is unique, absurd, hilarious and one of the biggest jokes in modern history. I really believe Washington has no clue at all about the whole region, and never had. The latest visit of McCain and the other senator in Egypt, and some of their "comments" quoted in the press, really had me laughing loud, and I mean that, don't type that just as a phrase: I was laughing loud. Not to forget Obama'S fantastic Cairo speech to the Islamic world.
Oh my!