War in Afghanistan: 10 years later

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Friday marked ten years since the day U.S. boots hit Afghan soil.

It's a war that some say we can't win. But it's the same war that others say we can't quit.

A rocket attack in Eastern Afghanistan Friday was a stark reminder of the danger for American troops there, after ten years of war.

As the fighting rages on, the question remains- are we safer now because of it?

"That's hard to say," answered Westfield resident Kevin Mullen. "I mean, if we didn't do anything I think we'd be worse off. I mean you've got to try to keep these people at bay that are trying to hurt us."

Springfield resident David Murray thinks the nation is more secure today because of the war. "I do, and I also think we should stay the course because we don't want to let down our guard on anything that's happened. Especially after 9/11."

Nearly 1,800 American service members have been killed since the first shots of Operation Enduring Freedom were fired. More than 14,000 have been wounded. As for monetary costs, $450 billion dollars and climbing... some of the reasons nearly 60% of Americans say it's time to cut our losses, according to a Quinnipiac Poll.

"I actually think it's time for us to leave," said Lorelei Phillips of Agawam. "I think we've done as much good as we can possibly can do over there and I think it's time for us to come home."

But for veterans who have actually served in combat in the Middle East, the question of whether to stay or leave becomes a little more difficult to answer.

"I think our mission in Iraq is actually pretty much done, we established what we needed to establish," said Brian Belanger, who recently retired from the Army as a Sergeant 1st Class after 23 years of service, including tours in the Gulf War and Operation Enduring Freedom. "Afghanistan is just a different type of war. They got rid of Bin Laden, but there's other people that are stepping in there."

President Obama has made it clear he wants to withdraw all U-S combat troops by 2014. What remains to be seen is whether the Afghans will be ready for that.