Afghanistan war just?

Michael Walzer argues the case that invading Afghanistan was just because AlQaeda and the Taliban regime were allies, and that we should stay there for a while because we owe it to the Afghan people, who can become more democratic while protected by the US military.

Those arguments are easily refuted: the first implies that many countries should invade the US because the US military is surely allied with the US government and has committed many more atrocities than AQ ever has and ever will. The second argument assumes that the US military's intent is to protect civilians and democracy; but those are not at all the driving motives of the US military and government; if they were, the very democratic groups Walzer is talking about would be supported by the US, not ignored. Of course it is possible that there are unintended consequences to a US military operations that somehow leads to some resurgence of democracy, but this would not indicate motive. Whatever indirect good the US military is bringing to Afghanistan, the point is that the US could bring about a million times more good by changing its policies toward Afghanistan, eg by sending a big surge of reparation money, civilian aid, etc.

There is an article here that argues against Walzer's case.