For a period of time, counterinsurgency doctrine for Afghanistan was entirely based on humanitarianism - i.e. "winning the hearts and minds".

We stopped pushing that around the time I was there, as regular Army folks can do a fantastic fucking job of erasing months of progress in one patrol or meeting.

I $till haven't landed on a $ati$factory explanation for our geopolitical motivation$ to $tay in Afghani$tan, though.