Oh, and as for Kandahar's runway length, there are non-STOVL types out there that could work from the minimum operating strip (MOS) using Pneumatic Arresting Gear (ie. cables) to land and their vast amount of SEP to get airborne. For example, a Super Hornet can get off unassisted on ~400m and then use the arrestor gear for any aborted take offs in the overrun.
There was no arrestor gear there at the time and while the Super Hornet is a massively capable jet, it would struggle to get airborne in that distance with weapons, a full fuel load and at that altitude.