If Al Quaeda had the ability to pull off a major attack on the USA (such as 911), they would not necessarily need to do it from a base in Afghanistan. They could just as well do it from some other hidden location(s) in some other countries in Asia, the Middle East or Africa.

Occupying Afghanistan does not stop Al Quaeda. Al Quaeda is not a movement tied to any specific nation or government. It's a political movement.

Furthermore, I doubt that Al Quaeda even was the primary organizer of the 911 attacks. I think the primary organizer was much closer to home.

Anywy, if they weren't, then there never was any real reason to go into Afghanistan in the first place...that is, no real reason that the US government is openly telling you about, I mean.

It's much easier to start a war (or any kind of a fight) than it is to end one's involvement in it. All you have to do is start shooting or throw the first punch.

The 911 attacks were not an act of war, because they weren't committed by a foreign government or a nation's armed forces or a revolutionary army of any kind at all. They were committed by a secret cabal, a secret group of well-organized conspirators. As such, it was a criminal matter, not an act of war, and it should have been dealt with by international police work, not by war.

But it is my opinion that the 911 attacks were launched for one and only one purpose: to enable war to begin. So you have to ask yourself who wanted such a war, and why? And what was the objective? And who stood to profit? Who needed a "Pearl Harbor" level event to enable the USA to go to war?