What changed, what stayed the same, and was it worth it?

In the grand scheme, LTC (Join to see), I submit that not a lot changed. That's not to say we did not do a lot of good (or attempt to do good) in Afghanistan. The Russians learned a lesson there in the 1980s. I think we learned our lesson in the 2000s.

History will probably record the past 13 years of Afghanistan's history as a slight blip on the tribal society that was and will likely remain for a long time to come.