What exactly are Afghanistan veterans mad about?
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Replies to: What exactly are Afghanistan veterans mad about?
No combatant wants their collective sacrifice to be in vein.
That is why “mission” is so important. World War II had a clear cut definitive mission — conquer Hitler in Europe, conquer the Japanese in the Pacific.
One’s military experience is largely centered around small unit relationships — with one’s platoon buddies or shipmates. Even when the “mission” is murky or vague, serving in an armed conflict heightens the sacrifices, and forges even greater bonds amongst the “brothers in arms.”
Veterans who served in Afghanistan are keenly aware of the collective sacrifice they made, their buddies made, and everyone’s families made. Some lost their lives, some suffered significant life sustaining injuries, some suffer from PTSD, some are dysfunctional shells of their former selves, some came home strong and proud, only to learn that their wife or girlfriend ditched them for a non hacker.
Afghanistan was never going to be a happy ending, even with glimpses of hope throughout the journey. The “mission” lost clarity over the years. Veterans who served on the ground learned that reality quickly, much like those who served in Vietnam. Afghanistan became an “industry” — fueled by our unyielding military industrial complex— our “war” economy.
But, these brave veterans would have much preferred a smoother exit versus what is optically a humiliating clusterfuck.
My counsel to any Afghan veteran would be this:
You did not serve in vein. When your nation called, you answered the motherfuckin bell. Regardless of the strategic objective, you suited up. And once on the ground, it wasn’t about some shirts in Washington DC. It was all about having your brother’s back, through thick’n thin. And you humped your shit, especially when the bullets were flying, when “tomorrow” was never a sure thing. You did it right. And that makes you the hero of your own life.
I’m sure all the vets are waiting on your words of “counsel” Go away, meatball
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Sell that crap to the grifter Biden because it is lip service from a clown like you
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I’m not an Afghanistan vet, but I am a combat veteran nonetheless…
The biggest problem is that the withdrawal is a clusterfuck. …poorly planned with little accounting for Afghan troops and citizens who helped us for the last 20 years. They’re also pissed about the lack of effort to rescue Americans that are still outside the wire.
Ive talked to quite a few buddies that served there and they didn’t like the fact that Trump set a time line for the withdrawal and that Biden followed it to a “T”. It’s a shit show and Biden essentially turning the country over to a terrorist organization is a tough pill to swallow. We lost quite a few men and women over there.
Time line is political in nature, forcing Afghan gov to talk to
Taliban on either power sharing or power transfer peacefully. Otherwise, Afghan gov will never make effort to find a way to talk with Taliban. Biden should prepare the worst in his execution plan, don't trust Afghan gov (itself was controvao from election result), and act quickly to withdraw civilians and equipments.
The timeline enabled the Taliban to just wait until we withdrew enough troops…
and then they started their advance.
Abandoning Bagram was the dumbest move Biden made.
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That was not a good tactical move. I agree.
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Air power would have kept the savages from moving freely.
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I don’t disagree, but we haven’t fought the Taliban in a long time because of the peace “deal”…
Trump brokered with the Taliban. Note the Taliban is not attacking the airport. That’s the positive side of Trump’s deal. The negative is the timeline that Trump set. And Biden is totally lost and unprepared for this situation. FUBAR
So I 100% get that. However isn't ALL THING Afghanistan a shit show?
Again we can Monday morning QB the civilian/contractor process, but my question is from the soldier level. Trying to separate political from militarily.
U r such a bullshitter. Trolling is only reason ur here
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As a former soldier, politics will always be a part of the military…
and that’s understood at the soldier level from day one. I gave you the reasons why Afghan vets are pissed.
Having to defend guys like you is undoubtedly high on the list.
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Huh?
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Exactly. You don't think that they were defending you.
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I guess if I lived in Afghanistan you'd have a point clever one.
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Except you live in Ocala
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Hands up... you got me! Ocala huh Benjamin?
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Yeah, you're just stupid enough to think that.
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Your I'm smarter than everyone replies wreak of weakness
So 2500 troops (if sustained in country) were always going to keep terror from happening to the homeland? That's your moronic thought process?
Rachel Dolezal Qwesty is a foreign policy expert
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I have to ask: Is this a joke?
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You might be but my question isn’t.
Are you saying most veterans want us in a perpetual war?
I think that is a bit of a false choice...
I don't believe the choice was horrible stand down (cluster f') vs. perpetual war
I think most (at least my perspective) wonder orderly transition vs. clusterfuck
Lot's to debate on the value of troops/ operations in foreign lands, but I am struggling to find the positive in this mess.
Really an embarrassment for what I believe to be an excellent US military... and hard to take the international barbs from our allies as well. I expect to be ridiculed by Russia/ China/ Paki - f'em. But much harder to hear it from Ger, GB etc.
Let's hope the next few days are stellar... lives on the line and we all should be hoping/ praying for a good outcome
Except it is almost impossible to orderly transition this type of withdrawal.
Especially when the allied nation’s army just quits.
Better question is did have to be this bad?
And I agree that it didn’t have to be.
Especially when you have no plan.
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^Like
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