This morning, I have been questioning the character of my service. Thirty-six years has seen me a part of four separate wars, the Cold War, the War on Drugs, Iraq, and Afghanistan. My record stands at 1-2-1. I’ll be happy to keep that single win, the Cold war, until we lose that one, and it seems like it is in the offing with what the Russians are up to. At this point in my life, if and when- or when- the tie that is Iraq takes another turn, I expect to eventually to be 0-4. The American people deserve better than that.
I have plenty of excuses, mostly centered around the physical and political conditions. The physical conditions we took in stride, tolerated all the foolishness that are going to be now mentioned as the single cause of failure. This minute the word “corruption” is being floated about in liberal news media circles.
I have already heard that corruption is the cause. The single cause. “Those people were corrupt.” Sure, some were- a few, but by in large that is not the cause of this. You can’t pin this rose on a one-word cause and be satisfied. It is a great deal more complex than that. Corruption certainly didn’t help.
My political excuse for 1-2-1 is a good one, although it is still and excuse, and not entirely dignified. Combining the ultimate physicality of military intervention, with the unconventional specter of politics are lion and lamb combinations. This generally defies explanation, but if one would attempt one, the lion does not eat without the lamb, the lamb does not survive without the lion. Totally different, but totally dependent.
In a word, the marriage of these two worlds set conditions that tilt the scale against the service member. They take the matter from the conventional and force the soldier to reside in the unconventional and complex. I can’t claim to be good at the political/ unconventional; 1-2-1 will tell you this.
With that, let us be unconventional.
Say a prayer today for the President of the United States. I’m sure that he listened to his people about the political gravity of departing Afghanistan on the 20th anniversary. Envisioned it as a political high-water mark. As decisions go, not a great one. In fact, I do not think there has been a poorer one that I have seen. I mean, dude- telegraphing the withdrawal, ignoring the trends, forgetting why we were there in the first place, begging the Taliban to let our people cut and run. Ray Charles could have seen this coming.
One needs to consider that this is a political coup, that those yelling in the President’s ear about withdrawal, are now whispering in the halls about the 25th Amendment. Nothing good at all would come from such a coup, and we know it. If he fails in this manner, the system fails, we fail, the US fails.
Give props to General Milley. I know the man, and also that he knows the ground. I cannot think of any servicemember that invested more in Afghanistan than General Milley. I am positive he told the administration that while the ANA can fight, they do fight better with US air support. That the ANA had come a long way, further than anyone could have ever expected, but in the physical conditions of the Stan it is difficult to impossible to guarantee tactical outcomes. That he spelled out that the Afghan political leadership has issues, and the tribal factionalism was always a wild card. I am sure that General Milley replied, “Yes, but…..” that the political narrative would not consider the “BUT” part, and after he gave his best military advice, he saluted said, “Yes Sir, we’ll do our best.” Exactly what I have done and would do. He will collect, hold, and carry in a dignified matter the blame from both the administration and the media, which he does not deserve.
Say a prayer for the American people, and for our own patience with them. The people are going to be exposed to some ugliness that they did not think possible. We know that they are going to be; because we know the Taliban.
Ms. Pelosi warned the Taliban that the “world is watching”. Madam, they are counting on it. They will be transparent in their chaos, proud of it, and are likely the most evil faction the world has ever known. Consider if the Nazi’s had openly displayed, proudly reported in the media the concentration/ execution camps to the world prior to WW2. This is the level of horror that the people will come to know.
With this horror, they are going to become undisciplined. When this tide turns politically, and it will attempt to do so- they will try to use we veterans as a political club to beat their political enemies. Remember this is a lion and lamb combination, and we also know that a lion is too dignified to argue or be used by a lamb. If we were suited for politics, we’d have done that one, instead of electing the hard road. I hear the chow is better. I’m sure the hootches are too.
Let us say a prayer for the lost. Our brothers and sisters both US, Allied, and Afghan. Their legacy this minute is entrusted to us.
With this trust, we have to decide how we are going to approach this task with a sick heart. If there was a time to fill the vacuum of leadership, now is it. Who better to lead this narrative than a veteran? Know that when you do, when you remain dignified, that when we do remain above the fray, a lion and not a lamb, refuse to be used as a political club, the people will dismiss you for it. Maybe even hate you for it. Won’t be the first or last time, either.
Since I can’t stand on a record of 1-2-1; dignified is my only option. I urge the lions to do the same.