The US increasing its support to Afghanistan

I find it curious that many Americans are caught up in the war in Iraq and that many people so closely associate the war in Iraq and the War on Terrorism. Currently in the status quo Afghanistan is the 138th poorest country in the world and is maybe the most patriarchial. There are instances in Aghanistan where men tatoo "their" woman with the same tatoos they use on their cattle. Woman in Afghanistan are traded like cattle and are traded for marriage and sometimes for cattle and sheep. I am just interested to hear why it is some people oppose the war in Afghanistan but support the war in Iraq. The United States did not go into Iraq under "false" pretenses. Afghanistan was and continues to be the center for global jihadism. It irks me that people fail to see that Al Quaida is located and based out of Afghanistan, yet people wonder why we are not able to end the campaign in Iraq. MAYBE it is because anti-american countries, like Iran, support the safe passage of anti-american groups into Iraq, and safeguard them against American inquiries. Also somewhat disturbing is the booming poppie trade in rural Afghanistan. Anyone who supports the War on Terrorism should support the War in Afghanistan because if we can cut off their source of funds, ie drugs, we have a better chance of defeating "them". The last and maybe the most important fact to realize with Afghanistan is that:
1. We have polices that are working to fight poverty, microloans.
2. The people of Afghanistan support an American presence so we are not fighting two battles like the one we are fighting in Iraq where we are dispised.

First of all, thank you for starting this debate.

Now there are a few flaws I would like to pick out in your opening statement. You say that Al Qaeda is clearly based in Afghanistan. However, there is absolutely no definate place to where Al Qaeda has been based. The trail for Osama went cold two years ago. For all we know, Al Qaeda may be anywhere, China, Iraq, Republican Headquarters :). However the trail for Osama was followed into Pakistan. However, after the United States negotiated the right of passage into Pakistan, Osama's trail had gone cold. However, with NATO forces filling in for US forces, the chances of Osama going back into a country with a government that is after his head is unlikely. Instead he will seek sanctuary with Pakistan, for while Musharraf has stated that he's an Ally of the US, he has made many behind the back agreements with Pro-Taliban forces in order to preserve peace.

Now, let us look toward NATO forces that I mentioned. I am not saying that Invading Iraq was the right thing to do, however, we must look toward the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq today. While Afghanistan actually has backing of NATO troops, in Iraq there is only the US. While going into Iraq may have been a mistake, pulling out of Iraq would leave the region in chaos. However, this is a whole different debate, and if you wish to pursue this arguement in that direction, just make a note in your response. My point is that the United States is clearly preoccupied with securing the state in Iraq, and it is in the benefit of the US to not further increase military support to Afghanistan. The American people are tired of war, this is seen in polls everywhere, and even if we were to extract ourselves from Iraq in the near future, increased support to Afghanistan would not be feasible due to War fatigue in the US.

One of the major premises that you make is that supporting Afghanistan is better than supporting Iraq because the population wants us there. However, Pro-Taliban sentiments have increased within Afghanistan. We can see this with this article from CNN, http://www.cnn.com...,
in which Anti-US riots are described in Kabul.
Now if Anti-US sentiments have become so great, than your argument that anti-US feelings are less is invalid.

You mention that some men brand their women as they would brand cattle. While this indeed is a horrifying action, these rumored occuwould not be endemic to Afghanistan. Until you can prove that this ONLY occurs in Afghanistan, instead of due to anti-feminist views throughout the middle East, than this is not relavent to the Debate at hand.

Afghanistan has lost its original meaning as the center of world terrorism. I do not presume to know where Al Qaeda is, but the chances of them being in Afghanistan are very slim. They found safe harbor under the Taliban, however once the Taliban's reign was overthrown, their situation in Afghanistan became much more precarious. Therefore it goes to follow that Al Qaeda would no longer risk their main base among hostile forces. Musharraf sympathized with the Taliban before the US demanded its aid on the war on Terror. Now he plays a double game among the two parties. Al Qaeda would find the situation in Pakistan much more favorable to its cause than Afghanistan. However, there are many places that would offer similar comfort to Al Qaeda forces.

Also, about the Global poppy trade, it is not as if terrorist forces have a massive opium plantation. In fact, most poppy growth in Afghanistan is carried out by poor civilian farmers who rely on the source of income.