I am mixing it up today with quotes of the day. Read them and weep.
“I stand squarely behind my decision. American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves. We spent over a trillion dollars. We trained and equipped an Afghan military force of some 300,000 strong—incredibly well equipped—a force larger in size than the militaries of many of our NATO allies…. We gave them every tool they could need. We paid their salaries, provided…close air support. We gave them every chance to determine their own future. What we could not provide them was the will to fight for that future.” President Biden
“We knew it was coming 10 years ago. It’s sad but not surprising, We all felt it was inevitable. The Afghans didn’t have the will to stand up for their government. They didn’t have a concept of a strong government. We were all concerned.” said Bob Madison, who served in the U.S. Army in Ghazni between Kabul and Khandahar in 2010.
“Mom, I’m damaged,” Damon Clayton spent his 21st birthday pinned down by enemy fire in an Afghanistan village. They had expected to engage about a dozen Taliban, but encountered 74 soldiers. The unit had to call in an airstrike to escape, and one American was killed. Damon Clayton died by suicide on Feb. 2, 2020. He was 28.
“The takeover of Kabul and the airport and all our armored vehicles … it’s almost like the last 20 years was a waste. A waste of American lives. We left a lot of brothers and sisters there, and many that came home have (post-traumatic stress disorder) from what they have seen and gone through and may never be the same. And that impacts their spouses and children as well.” Adam Dickey, a 32-year-old Warren police officer, served in the U.S. Marines in both Iraq and Afghanistan between 2007 and 2011.
I see a report that the American Embassy will destroy its American flags to deny the Taliban a propaganda victory. I think of the star-spangled banner that flew over my old patrol base, called Habib, Arabic for “beloved.” Five men died under that flag, for what?” Timothy Kudo a former Marine captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is working on a novel about the Afghanistan war.
“The important question of when it is in America’s interest to fight a ground war. Should we limit foreign intervention to questions of the safety of Americans? Should we protect our economic interests? Should we fight to spread democracy? Should we fight to defend human rights? Should we fight to shorten other wars, or prevent genocide? These are not easy questions, and reasonable people can, and maybe should, disagree about the answers. But none of them is about partisan politics, either; they are about defining our national interest.” Heather Cox Richardson
“Afghan girls and young women are once again where I have been — in despair over the thought that they might never be allowed to see a classroom or hold a book again. Some members of the Taliban say they will not deny women and girls education or the right to work. But given the Taliban’s history of violently suppressing women’s rights, Afghan women’s fears are real.” Malala Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban assassination attempt, is an activist for girls’ education and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
I implore our future leaders to never forget what is happening this week in Afghanistan. Make sure the U.S. does not make this same mistake again.
Stay safe. Social distance. Wear your mask. Wash your hands regularly. Get your vaccine.
Orchid of the Day: Not in the mood.
Onion of the Day: Everyone involved in this latest version of nation building by the U.S.
Quote of the Day: See above