Why Are We Obsessed With Backing Losers?

Seriously.

Bosnia: militarily and economically supporting a weak central government that couldn't stand without us. The Serbs, Bosnians and Croats are just all waiting for 'the West' to leave before starting Act II.

Iraq: militarily and economically supporting a weak central government (currently being consumed by sectarian forces) that couldn't stand without us. Except in this case, the Shiites and Sunnis AREN'T waiting for us to leave first.

Afghanistan: militarily and economically supporting a weak central government (currently losing in the 'boots on the ground' department to the Taliban) that couldn't stand without us. And the Pashtuns, the nations largest tribal group, are getting tired of waiting for us to leave before re-igniting the civil war.

And let's not forget:

Haiti: militarily and economically supporting a weak central government (not that there's a untied opposition or rebellion, but the government would be overwhelmed by the general disorder of criminal gangs). Our presence keeps the chaos just under the boiling point.

And now we can add:

Somalia: the UN just authorized a military relief operation to - guess what - support a weak central government that really can't stand without help. Actually I'm not sure that it can stand with help. You know, with not having any soldiers, bureaucracy, or public support of its own.

Now, I'm not an isolationist. But as we should have learned in Vietnam, backing a weak, corrupt government, whether or not it's officially "democratic", is a losing proposition when squared against a united opposition that has the support of the majority of the citizenry, plenty of weapons, and (in many cases) the moral high ground.

(People may not completely agree with the civic or religious agenda of the Taleban, Hamas, Hezbollah or Al Queda, but at least they're not drug dealers, breathtakingly corrupt or out raping women and children.)

Somebody, please give me an example where this worked. Sure, it turned out ok with South Korea and Greece back in the Fifties, but in both cases the government was at least considered legitimate by its own citizens, right?