There is no doubt one question left unanswered as we witness the daily advances made by the Taliban in Afghanistan: what difference did an American presence make? The same extremist group the U.S. sought to topple after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, remains strong, bent but unbroken.
Imagine you’re President Joe Biden. You need $2 trillion dollars to fund one of your stated priorities – infrastructure. You learn of a war plane, the F-35 Lightning II, that would cost as much as $1.7 trillion to buy, field and maintain over the next 50 years. It’s $200 billion over budget, and more than ten years behind schedule. What do you do?
When President Joe Biden announced that US forces will leave Afghanistan by September 11 2021, the objections and remonstrations were swift. As retired Marine combat veteran Matthew Hoh writes in CNN, “these protests are nearly all disingenuous, false and specious, and meant to utilize fear to continue a tragic and purposeless war.”
When President Joe Biden announced that US forces will leave Afghanistan by September 11 2021, the objections and remonstrations were swift. As retired Marine combat veteran Matthew Hoh writes in CNN, “these protests are nearly all disingenuous, false and specious, and meant to utilize fear to continue a tragic and purposeless war.”
Once upon a time, President Joe Biden advocated for a vastly smaller military footprint in Afghanistan. We can only hope that, as President, he has the courage to follow through.
Lawrence Wilkerson: If Biden wants to actually respect and protect American troops, he must put a stop to stupid, endless wars.
America has sent 2.77 million service members to war since 9/11. When they come home, are they getting the support they need?
Former U.S. Army infantry officer Erik Edstrom joins the BBC’s When Kathy Met Carlos to discuss the toll that combat takes on soldiers, and the failings of veteran care in the United States.
“Upon returning home, you see that the cost of war is a long arc.”
Listen here.
Dennis Laich and Erik Edstrom — What is the best way for Americans to honor and respect veterans’ sacrifices? There’s no single right answer, but there are plenty of wrong ones – including our “thank you for your service” culture.