"To say that today is anything short of a disaster would be dishonest..." - A statement from Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA), who served four tours as a combat Marine in Iraq, on the events unfolding in Afghanistan.
I wish the US never invaded Afghanistan or Iraq. Huge Fiascos and waste of time, $$$ and lives, built on lies from politicians connected to the military industrial complex. They used it as an excuse to get rich. When will America learn?
I am so saddened about the mess we helped create in Afghanistan. Being a vet during Vietnam, With the loss of so many lives, my brother was killed in Vietnam. One lesson learned is certain. We have not learned from are mistakes. To all that have sacrificed and given ,paid the ultimate price, The true honor is in the answer not in the summons. Until both parties in are government start working as one, speaking the truth, owning their mistakes they have no honor
Thank you Congressman Moulton for your Service in Afghanistan and for your service as a Congressman. Thank you for being a person of integrity! I pray for your continued strength and also for the troops and those Afghans who helped and are now trying to get refuge in a safe place. May GOD continue to give you strength and wisdom!
Dan, I’ve appreciated your reporting and commentary when I was 15 and you were in the Nam. Since then, you’ve evolved into a journalistic statesman. So needed these days. I appreciate your insight
The only area still holding out is a beautiful area called Panjshir. The son of Ahmad Shah Masoud (he was the leader of the Northern Alliance that was assassinated 2 days b4 9/11…his picture is plastered (or was) all over Kabul and loved by many Tajiks (my ethnicity.) His son is the only one defying the Taliban. He was educated abroad and didn’t have to come back, but he has his dad’s love for a democratic country. He is actually fighting for women’s rights. Imagine a country where he could be President. Afghanistan would look different.
Sometimes I wish the country could be split into Tajiks and Pashtuns (the tribal people of Kandahar and other remote regions.) Then Tajiks (Farsi speaking Afghans) could live in Kabul and Herat etc etc.
I haven’t been there since age 5 but I’ve always thought about that.
How could one predict the final outcome? It wasn’t until the news was released a few days ago that the peaceful surrender of arms was agreed upon back when Pompeo was sent to negotiate with the man who now is the new leader of the Taliban. We didn’t know that DT was active in releasing this man from prison prior to sending Pompeo in to “seal the deal.” The actions of DT started this process, so it’s no longer a wonder why the Afgan military quietly laid down their arms. DT alone is responsible for the collapse.
The SIV program failed in its bureaucratic effort to to be "fair and orderly". I agree that the dotting and crossing should have been overcome by early transports to neutral environs until their status was sorted out. This failure had indoubtedly resulted in unnecessary hardship and, probably, torture and death, shameful.......what now? Are they all out now or do we just write off our allied translators and support personnel as more collateral loss???
What a debacle is unfolding before our very eyes. I am grateful for out troops and the Afghans who worked and fought for freedom, hope and justice, and am now deeply saddened to see that apparently destroyed because we could not measure up to who we claim to be. Too many politicians have turned the other way ... too many fingers are pointing to blame others and save themselves ... too many administrations have, for 20 years, failed to rebuild Afghanistan ... too many years of failure is now represented in this chaos. And now people are dying because of it.
This whole situation is heartbreaking. But it is exactly what those of us who watched the fall of Saigon expected. History proves that any war in Afghanistan is unwinnable. Friends who supported this war told me that we needed to prove to Russia that we could win. No, we couldn't. To those who were able to get an education, run their businesses and perhaps leave, good. But to the incompetent Afghani government, American companies like Halliburton who profited from the dead and to warmongering politicians - SHAME.
I wish the US never invaded Afghanistan or Iraq. Huge Fiascos and waste of time, $$$ and lives, built on lies from politicians connected to the military industrial complex. They used it as an excuse to get rich. When will America learn?
At this stage, I think we must all simply hope that some lessons have been learned about our ability to create democracies in far away places.
I am so saddened about the mess we helped create in Afghanistan. Being a vet during Vietnam, With the loss of so many lives, my brother was killed in Vietnam. One lesson learned is certain. We have not learned from are mistakes. To all that have sacrificed and given ,paid the ultimate price, The true honor is in the answer not in the summons. Until both parties in are government start working as one, speaking the truth, owning their mistakes they have no honor
Thank you Congressman Moulton for your Service in Afghanistan and for your service as a Congressman. Thank you for being a person of integrity! I pray for your continued strength and also for the troops and those Afghans who helped and are now trying to get refuge in a safe place. May GOD continue to give you strength and wisdom!
Dan, I’ve appreciated your reporting and commentary when I was 15 and you were in the Nam. Since then, you’ve evolved into a journalistic statesman. So needed these days. I appreciate your insight
The only area still holding out is a beautiful area called Panjshir. The son of Ahmad Shah Masoud (he was the leader of the Northern Alliance that was assassinated 2 days b4 9/11…his picture is plastered (or was) all over Kabul and loved by many Tajiks (my ethnicity.) His son is the only one defying the Taliban. He was educated abroad and didn’t have to come back, but he has his dad’s love for a democratic country. He is actually fighting for women’s rights. Imagine a country where he could be President. Afghanistan would look different.
Sometimes I wish the country could be split into Tajiks and Pashtuns (the tribal people of Kandahar and other remote regions.) Then Tajiks (Farsi speaking Afghans) could live in Kabul and Herat etc etc.
I haven’t been there since age 5 but I’ve always thought about that.
Thank you for your service, Sir and for your perspective.
I read somewhere that Dan Rather stated, "Trump was selected not elected".
Great comment if true, thank you.
How could one predict the final outcome? It wasn’t until the news was released a few days ago that the peaceful surrender of arms was agreed upon back when Pompeo was sent to negotiate with the man who now is the new leader of the Taliban. We didn’t know that DT was active in releasing this man from prison prior to sending Pompeo in to “seal the deal.” The actions of DT started this process, so it’s no longer a wonder why the Afgan military quietly laid down their arms. DT alone is responsible for the collapse.
I am confused…how are we safe from further terrorist attacks? Won’t another BinLadin just rise up?
The SIV program failed in its bureaucratic effort to to be "fair and orderly". I agree that the dotting and crossing should have been overcome by early transports to neutral environs until their status was sorted out. This failure had indoubtedly resulted in unnecessary hardship and, probably, torture and death, shameful.......what now? Are they all out now or do we just write off our allied translators and support personnel as more collateral loss???
Cheney, W Bush et al. are war criminals who committed war crimes (9/11; war of aggression against Iraq; torture; ...).
A very powerful message. Thank you for sharing it.
When you enter a war/conflict there is only two ways you can leave, either by losing or winning. I am not aware of any draws. This is a sad moment.
What a debacle is unfolding before our very eyes. I am grateful for out troops and the Afghans who worked and fought for freedom, hope and justice, and am now deeply saddened to see that apparently destroyed because we could not measure up to who we claim to be. Too many politicians have turned the other way ... too many fingers are pointing to blame others and save themselves ... too many administrations have, for 20 years, failed to rebuild Afghanistan ... too many years of failure is now represented in this chaos. And now people are dying because of it.
This whole situation is heartbreaking. But it is exactly what those of us who watched the fall of Saigon expected. History proves that any war in Afghanistan is unwinnable. Friends who supported this war told me that we needed to prove to Russia that we could win. No, we couldn't. To those who were able to get an education, run their businesses and perhaps leave, good. But to the incompetent Afghani government, American companies like Halliburton who profited from the dead and to warmongering politicians - SHAME.