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America Loses Another War

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America Loses Another War

More than any other, the war in Afghanistan is personal to me. I lost a grandson there (pictured above). He was on his second hitch with the Marines – having previously served in Iraq. When he was killed in 2011, I hoped his death would not be in vain.

With President Biden’s announcement that all American troops with be out of Afghanistan on September 11 (a peculiar day to select) — without any discernable benefit or victory for the United States — I have sadly determined that my grandson has, indeed, died in vain.

Not only has Biden announced a date certain for the removal of U.S. troops – something that he should not have telegraphed to the Taliban – he has sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken to urge NATO allies to also withdraw. Maybe that is a diplomatic way of making America not look like such a singular loser.

The only thing missing from this withdrawal is an official document outlining the specific “terms of surrender.” Of course, America never surrenders. We just ignominiously retreat.

Although Biden is just ringing down the curtain on 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan, he is unceremoniously ending what is America’s longest war. That in itself is an obscenity.

The most powerful military in the world – as proclaimed by one President after another – could not bring the Afghan war to a swift and victorious conclusion. It was a “war of attrition” – and my grandson was some of that attrition. But he is not alone in having died in vain.

More than 2000 of our young men and women in uniform have died in Afghanistan. And another 20,000 crippled and wounded. And for what?

What has been the benefit to the United States?  Where is the victory after so much loss of life and treasure?

For sure, all those who sacrificed life and limb at the call of America are heroes of the first order.  They did what our national leaders asked them to do. It is just a pity – no, a tragedy – that our national leaders never gave a damn about having real purpose and legitimate goals in pursuing the Afghanistan war – or a determination to win the war.  We were there fighting just to be fighting.  It was a war carried out by ambassadors rather than generals.

Oh, there was a time we were supposed to be defeating the evil Taliban.  That would have been a good purpose if we had only implemented that objective – if only we had actually waged a war to defeat them.  But the evil Taliban will be there – hating America – after we leave.

The final retreat makes every articulated goal and promise of the past two decades nothing more than shallow rhetoric.

It has pained me to write periodically about America’s sting of losing wars since World War II.  This one pains me the most … for obvious reasons.

So, there ‘tis.

10 COMMENTS

  1. I am sure this started out as a great article right up to the second sentence. “I lost a black grandson.” Why did you have to point out that your grandson is black? Do you have white, red, yellow, brown grandson’s also? I just don’t see the literary value of pointing out the race of your grandson. His picture was posted.
    Racism comes in all colors.

  2. LISTEN UP…The AMERICAN SOLDIERS Did NOT DIE in VAIN. Or DID THEY get injured in VAIN. THEY Kept TERRORISTS at BAY and SAVED ALOT of AMERICAN LIVES here in the STATES. AMERICANS are GRATEFUL for the Sacrifices AMERICAN SOLDIERS Have Made. THANKYOU SO MUCH. SOME SOLDIERS are STILL Needed to STAY in AFGHAN…to KEEP TERRORISTS There and NOT HERE. ALL THINGS Work Together for GOOD..to THEM Who Love GOD..to THEM Who are Called…According th HIS PURPOSE. From SamuraiQueen. 😄😄😄

    • No it Created the terrorist by interfering with countries for no other reason than Oil and Politics
      not for the protection of your homeland

  3. My condolences on the loss of your grandson. He was, and is, a Hero.

    WW2 was the last war fought by the military. The other wars were fought by politicians. The generals could not do anything without their approval. During the Korean War, General McArthur said he wanted to drop an Atomic bomb on North Korea. Congress called him back to the states and replaced him with a mote obient General.
    President Kennedy was assinated because he wanted to end the Vietnam War. Johnson, who was vice-president, escalated the war. Politicians make money off of wR these days. That is why we do not go in to win.

  4. Your article was well written. It is a tragedy that are people were maimed and killed. Most governments we try to help are as corrupt as can be and can’t fight without help. Giving them our money and our blood and iron is the real tragedy. The Afghan Government didn’t care about the innocent people that just went to work that September 11th. We should’ve wiped out the entire region and have gone home. The population didn’t care for the U.S.A. occupying the region they should have realized the consequences.
    That area has been a problem for cavillations there for 2000 years.

  5. I am so sorry for your loss and I thank you and your son’s service and sacrifice for the USA. We did win the war. ISIS is all but gone at least no immediate threat to us. We have no geopolitical interest in Afghanistan. Nor should be be involved in nation building. The Arab world has been at war for thousands of years the USA cant fix this. It is time to bring our kids home.

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