The "bringing democracy" part has always been an afterthought. If you look at the rhetoric of the Bush and now Obama administrations, there is a clear emphasis on counterinsurgency and making sure the Taliban don't come back to power. Yes, part of the reason we say they shouldn't come back is because they aren't democratic, but the primary reason is, as stated over and over and over, that they would provide safe haven for al Qaeda.

The Taliban helped al Qaeda attack us on September 11. Much as we might like to disentangle them now if it allows us to get out of Afghanistan (and I'm not saying everyone sees the need for that, either), we know that Mullah Omar had appointed bin Laden to a very high post connected with defense. They weren't just offering safe haven to al Qaeda; they were actively working with them. Al Qaeda operatives had blown up Massood just a day earlier, clearing the way for the Taliban to take the last part of the country not in their control.

Iraq was touted as a mission of democracy FAR more than Afghanistan. Of course, I couldn't care less if we brought democracy to them - democracy can't be imposed from without anyway.