Teribus, you asked: "America and the UK (plus the other 41 countries involved) went into Afghanistan to help themselves to what exactly??"

Well, I think there are quite a number of factors involved in that, not just one. Such as...

- they wish to build an oil pipeline through Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean

A complete and utter Myth no oil pipeline has ever been discussed let alone proposed. The only pipeline that HAS been talked about was to deliver natural gas from Turkmenistan to India. Unocal were interested as part of a consortium to build and operate the pipeline but pulled out of the deal, as did the Russians in 1998

- they wish to have a military presence to the south of Russia and to the east of Iran and to the west of China

Really?? Now why would they want that now. It was after all not needed for thirty years since the revolution that brought Khomeni to power in 1979, why is it needed now. Why does the US need a base to the south of Russia and to the west of China, or are you trying to tell us that the US intends attacking those countries. Courtesy of its fleet of strike carriers the US and the US Marine Corps the US does not require such bases. If they did they would not select a remote land-locked country in which to set them up.

- they wish to manage and control who profits from the huge opium trade that moves out of that region to the rest of the world

So that is why they direct so much effort at eradicating the crop is it? Opium production in Afghanistan peaked in 2007 and has been declining steadily since. Land under cultivation of opium poppies decreased in Afghanistan by 20% last year alone, 25% drop in production in Helmand alone this year. Massive wheat growing effort being promoted, supported and taken up by Afghan farmers against the wishes of the Taleban.

- They wish to control the entire area around there politically and in terms of crucial trade routes, and Afghanistan is simply one piece in that larger puzzle

Exactly how do they do that? What crucial trade routes?

- they did indeed wish to attack Al Queda bases in both Afghanistan and Pakistan (and they have done so pretty effectively)

That was only the first part of the mission, the second was the reconstruction effort.

- they wish to control the ongoing political process in both Afghanistan and Pakistan

Isn't this just a repeat of what you have written above or do they really want to "control the entire area around there politically and" then control Afghanistan and Pakistan politically twice as much.

By the bye, your new found pal Margolis wants to direct some research into how the Dutch took on and beat THE Superpower of the day to win their independence, whilst doing that he should look at how the British fought the superpowers of thei day to win their empire. Hint their wars and campaigns were fought on the "never-never".