ARCHBOLD WEATHER

America Leaves Afghanistan


It has been announced that America will end its military involvement in Afghanistan on Aug. 31.

At 20 years, the war in Afghanistan, America’s longest, has cost more than 2,300 American lives and $2 trillion. And those are just American deaths and expenses. Soldiers from American allies have died as well. More than 47,000 Afghan civilians have died.

In the beginning, America appeared justified in invading Afghanistan and booting out the Taliban, a severely repressive religious sect that was protecting Osama bin Laden, the man who ordered the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on America.

But, after 20 years, America learned the lesson the British and the Soviets did, after their own costly Afghan adventures. You don’t conquer Afghanistan. You don’t remake it in your own image. At best, you can occupy it for a while.

Those of a certain age will remember a bit of video of the last helicopter out of Vietnam. An endless line of people was lined up to get aboard an aircraft with room for 10. They wonder what the scene of the last helicopter out of Kabul will look like.

There is one group that must get out. The interpreters– those Afghans who helped American and allied troops– must be on those last planes. They’ve been marked for death by the Taliban. Leaving them behind would be despicable.

Abandon them, and no one will help Americans in the future. For the sake of American sons and daughters in future wars, (and no doubt there will be future wars), the Afghan interpreters and their families must be rescued.

There is the inevitable question about Afghanistan: Was it worth it?

Was it worth the deaths, missing limbs, lives shattered by post-traumatic stress disorder, and money spent?

That one, you will have to decide for yourself.