Amid an ongoing war in Iraq, post-Hurricane Katrina reconstruction and many scandals in government, we seem to be forgetting something.

Oh yeah, Afghanistan.

As the United States passes its fourth year with military presence in Afghanistan, we have spent $1.3 billion on the country's reconstruction.

Fighting in Iraq, we have spent more than $212 billion.

Americans are unaware of any sort of progress and corresponding troubles in Afghanistan. The media in this country is partly to blame because its focus shifts to whatever is happening most recently.

We forgot what was so important four years ago.

Shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the United States went to war in an effort to bring peace to the Afghanis by overthrowing the Taliban and attempting to eliminate al-Qaida.

U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan. They're still dying. Attacks from Taliban supporters continue.

It's irresponsible for Americans to forget promises made to these people by the United States. The goals we originally set out to attain — primarily the capture of Osama bin Laden — remain unfulfilled. Capturing the al-Qaida leader no longer seems to be a top priority.

Government officials say progress is being made in Afghanistan despite a lower cash flow from the U.S. government.

These claims include two national elections, improved health care and many more Afghan children are getting an education, despite dangerous conditions.

But it's not difficult to improve on a country that had nothing.

And it's not progress to have poorly designed, half-built structures, all which were to be completed by 2004.

By spring of next year, more U.S. troops will be moved out of Afghanistan. It's deplorable that now, at one of the country's most tenuous times, we're already making plans to bail out.

Ignorance is no longer acceptable. We need to pay attention.