Obviously many did value the basic human rights instituted during the years of our involvement. Girls went to school, to college, and as women gained professions and positions of power and significance. Oppression is of course relative, no sane person would claim that the current Taliban rule is less oppressive than the one it replaced, that Shia Hazara are safer now, that an Afghanistan tapping the potential of only half of its adults (probably less given that Hazaras will be excluded from significant participation) will be anywhere near as successful or prosperous.

Bringing up Russian (putin) excuses is a weird form of false equivalence. Russia is still actively imposing draconian censorship and murderous genocide, the U.S. is seriously discussing reparations to oppressed populations, and of course has a free for all in opinion and commentary, as in our discussion. All governments are not equal and you have to wear blinders to seriously claim they are.