"But we never should have been there in the first instance." Says Don T.

So not having done anything post-9/11 where would that have left the people of Afghanistan?

- In a continuation of a civil war that had begun in 1979.
- In a country acting as hosts for an International Terrorist Organisation that had just successfully pulled off the greatest terrorist outrage the world had ever seen, and got away with it unscathed. How would that do as a recruiting sergeant Don?

"Unless the US and the UK are prepared to spread their "altruistic" protection to countries with equally serious, or even worse, human rights problems (Darfur, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Nigeria, China, Tibet etc. etc.) it is hypocrisy to pontificate on the "unselfish" interference in Iraq and Afghanistan." More complete and utter crap from Don T.

Please provide me with any evidence that US-Operation Enduring Freedom troops or the NATO led ISAF troops are operating in Afghanistan without sanction of the UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

As to your list of sample countries where it would be of tremendous benefit if the International Community did get actively and forcefully involved, there is only one organisation to blame for that and that is the UNITED NATIONS. They funked the lot, because that just happened to be the least line of resistance, the UN are past-masters at doing just that, they have been renown for it since inception.