We'll Call It "The Global War on Terrorism"

The headline jumped right out at me this morning: "U.S. to cede duties in rebuilding Afghanistan."
Let us bear in mind for a moment that the United States actually has been attacked... repeatedly... by terrorists. One who immediately comes to my mind is Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda who has given aid and comfort by the Taliban for a number of years.
According to the Post, this summer we will hand over "control of the volatile southern region -- plagued by persistent attacks from Islamic militias."
"The shift will allow the Bush administration, which has spent more than $47 billion on military efforts in Afghanistan since 2001, to cut the U.S. troop presence by 13 percent, from 19,000 to 16,500."
The Afghan defense minister points out that "the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. support after the decade-long Soviet occupation ended in 1989 precipitated a civil war that culminated with the Taliban movement taking power."
The U.S. is "is pinning its hopes on Afghan provincial governors to eradicate poppy fields" which account for a third of Afghanistan's GDP according to the CIA. We're planning to provide them with $600 million in aid in 2006.
At the same time we are committed to "stay the course" in Iraq until terrorism has been eradicated, insurgency suppressed, and that country is back on its feet. So far it's only cost us $231 billion as I write this.
I leave it to better minds than mine... is this about a war against international terrorism? Leaving the Taliban in the field and al Qaeda in the mountains of Afghanistan? $47 billion... $231 billion...
Hint: There is no money/oil in Afghanistan... just the guys who planned and directed the 9/11 attacks.