Duncan Garner: Just you wait - the Taliban will destroy the happiness in Afghanistan now troops have pulled out

OPINION: The last remaining American and British troops have more or less pulled out of Afghanistan, bolting in the middle of the night.

They're leaving the country to the Taliban to take over and it's expected within six months they'll be back running the show - a brutal, murderous, militant group of thugs.

It's been a trillion dollar war. The aim was to destroy terrorist group Al Qaeda, and leader Osama Bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 Twin Towers attack. 

Bin Laden was running terrorist training camps in Afghanistan with the approval of the Taliban so the US-led forces dealt to Al Qaeda, killed Bin Laden and pushed the Taliban back. 

Our SAS were front and centre and Willie Apiata was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. 

So have we won the war? No. We won the fight. 

There has not been one terrorist attack planned and coordinated from Afghanistan since the Americans arrived so America is safer as a result.

But we have not won this war. Far from it. The Taliban has returned.

Their awful policies range from opposing the education of females to being responsible for a massive car bomb that ripped through a school in Kabul in May, killing 68 children. 

I saw these schools in 2010 when I travelled to Afghanistan as John Key visited New Zealand troops at a time of heightened concerns.

I saw local girls going to school for the first time in their lives.

Yes, there were dozens of bullet holes peppering the school fence but way more memorable were the smiles of joy on the faces of the young girls as they packed these classrooms for the first time. 

It truly was a unique and moving experience, but the Taliban will destroy the happiness.

Local forces will be overrun or run for the hills if they haven't already. 

So after 20 years where 2500 US soldiers, 60,000 locals and 10 Kiwi soldiers were killed, now the Taliban are back. 

How is that a victory? It's not. How futile.

Duncan Garner hosts The AM Show.