Worth Reading 8-31-2021
WDM recommends an essay titled “A Christian Response to a Defeat”. It is a forceful reminder of how civilians have been able to ignore the sacrifices made by service members and their families. The author is a former Army officer and mother of 2 sons who serve, and the essay is notable because it does not go on to condemn our involvement in Afghanistan. Instead, it gives a personal view of the sacrifices made by those who serve and their families, and how they continue to give to their Afghan allies. She writes “The simple act of a military family member [at Ramstein AFB] buying a diaper for an Afghan baby whose father may have contributed to the violence targeted against their own loved one is a defining moment for our nation…. Service and giving to others are a simple reflex for those who have chosen to serve. Americans really need to reflect deeply upon this humble example.”
From MPD:
The Washington Post describes without apology the errors of judgment and character in Presidential leadership that led to the debacle in Afghanistan. “Both the Biden and Trump administrations justified their actions by presenting a binary choice: endless combat or immediate retreat. The U.S. military, in contrast, was seeking options … that would backstop the Afghan military while allowing for aggressive counterterrorism. Yet Biden, like Trump, wanted a decisive, high-profile American departure. This took a difficult, medium-term problem and turned it into a catastrophic symbol of betrayal and defeat.”
Another Post columnist speaks even more strongly: “… we greenlighted the Taliban to take control of Kabul, which made the United States dependent on the Haqqani network — whose leader is an al-Qaeda-linked U.S.-designated terrorist with a reward of up to $5 million on his head — for the security of our men and women in uniform. The negligence and incompetence of this decision is simply stunning.”
Yet the rescue of many of our Afghan allies by volunteers including former military, helpers still in government, and businessmen gives something worth celebrating – dedication and courage to leave no one behind, even they were abandoned by our government.
