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Lessons to Learn from the Loss of Afghanistan
By Mark Jarrett 8/16/2021[AmericanThinker] Kandahar is fallen. Kabul, too. To hear again those names is to bring back a lost youth a lifetime of operations overseas. When I heard that Kandahar had fallen to the Taliban...I had a bad day. I did not think the news would hit so hard — but it did, and I thought to take a moment to give hard won advice to those who were there, as well as to reflect upon some of the reasons why the Taliban are on the cusp of victory. Think of those who served First, this moment is a bad time for those who served there in any way, and it is natural to feel that way. Basically, our side lost — and we will question our service and sacrifice. Whatever memories we have are going to come back, and some of them may be overwhelming. Each day veterans kill themselves, with the loss rippling through their community, so this is a time to be extra aware of that potential. My advice is mostly common sense: when you are emotionally weak, do not marinate in bad news. If the news of Afghanistan's fall bothers you — do not follow the news. Look outside: the sun is still shining, the birds are singing — stay in the present moment, and dwell neither on the past that you cannot change nor on the future if you have no capacity to change it. Be active, focus on positive things, and do not stew in negative emotions. Ask for help if you are having bad days. Some of the hardest feelings of guilt may come for those with close ties to Afghan partners or interpreters. Know that it is indeed a helpless feeling and that you may not be able to help, but that this is not your personal fault. Talk to others — you would be surprised how even pastors, priests, or counselors can help just by listening. Of course, some of the best conversations are with brothers in arms. Why Afghanistan fell Separating facts from emotions is useful for such tragedies. So with what feels like a lifetime of observation and participation, I offer this main point: the government of Afghanistan lost the "Mandate of Heaven." The people of Afghanistan had twenty years to experience Afghan government and decide that it was not worth fighting for. The stories are legion: the first president, Karzai, constantly releasing captured terrorist leaders as he dealt directly with the Taliban. President Karzai's brother being the top gangster of Kandahar. The Afghan Air Force heroin-smuggling ring. The Thursday Man Love sessions for all the pedophiles of the Afghan police and military. The "ghost" soldiers and ever-stolen supplies of the Afghan Army. The massive vote fraud of the Afghan presidential elections. The Afghan judges who gave no justice without a bribe. In sum, the Afghan government had the facade of a constitutional system — but inside its halls, it was a collection of thieves and robbers getting as much as could be gotten while the money was flowing. To bring the image closer to home, imagine if the U.S. government were closer in substance to that of the city of Baltimore — feckless, dishonest, corrupt, possibly fraudulently elected. How willing would you be to stand and die on the orders of such a government? At times, I would put forth that some of our current national malaise is due to such a perception of our government. The miracle is that so many Afghan soldiers, airmen, and commandos fought for so long and still continue to fight for a few more days, at least Posted by: JohnQC 2021-08-16 |
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