In order. Position: most powerful country as the world, one of the primary nations pointed to when we say "First World." No army will attack us BECAUSE we're powerful. And because it's nonviable, and we've been working to make that true since the War of 1812.

As to the Afghanistan thing: we shouldn't be there. It's a disaster. Anyone who knows jack about history knows that that place is a damn black hole for money, men, and materiel. That said, we've done FAR better- like, hundreds of times better- than any of the other nations who've gotten involved there historically. You can't win a war like that, not easily, and not without very long-term involvement. At the risk of being taken the wrong way, what would have to happen there for us to "win" long-term would be the same as what the Romans had to do in Gaul- colonize. In the "short" term, though (and I know, not really very short), we can "win" by ensuring that a stable, U.S. friendly, democratic government gains and stays in power. Which we have. And I agree, they should be left to police themselves, we need to not be there. BUT, this is kind of an unintentionally good microcosm of what I'm talking about. We shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place, but we have, and now we are directly responsible for their fate. It would be most pragmatic to cut our losses and bug out immediately- but it would be unethical, and say what you will about our country's spotted past, we do TRY to be ethical. Most of the time.

Finally, benefits? YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN BENEFITS? I hope that you are an American, and I didn't misunderstand you, or this will be a misguided rant. But you have no goddamn idea what you're talking about if you say you haven't had benefits from living here. This country has flaws, but if you are living in the United States, and are dirt-fucking-impoverished by our standards, you are still better off that probably 90% of the world's population. The BENEFITS we receive from being where we are are these: as you pointed out, you don't have to live in fear of another country's military coming in here and killing you or destroying your life. You don't have to worry about warring tribes raping your sisters or mother or daughters. You probably don't have to worry about where your next meal is coming from, which is a damn sight better than a fucking lot of people out there. At the risk of sounding like Jack Nicholson, you have the luxury to sit at a computer and argue with strangers over how much your country sucks, while sentinels protect you, and a good portion of the rest of the world, from anyone who would dare to attack you, and you don't even have to worry about being carted off by secret police and tortured or "disappeared" when you talk about how shitty your country is. Anyway. Rant over.

TL;DR- Go talk to some kids in Mexico and explain to them how we suffer under our cruel yoke.