Statement on Afghanistan

I have been intentionally silent on the affairs of the last several days. Watching and listening. Wading through the information to try and understand the fallout of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

In that vein, I often do not cast blame. And I often encourage each person to find ways to move together in a way that strengthens our world in a positive constructive way. Here is the crossroads we find ourselves in, when you go to war you must intend to win.

Whether we like it or not the mission objectives for the war in Afghanistan changed in both hearts, minds, and reality. This change did not occur suddenly after Bin Laden was killed or when Al Qaeda was decimated. It changed when we realized we could bring freedom to millions of women and children who had never experienced true freedom. When those objectives became unofficially a part of the war effort we as Americans became responsible for the lives we would leave the Afghani people when we decided to leave.

The problem? We left badly and we left before the new objectives could take hold. Unlike Japan and Germany this was not an occupation that we would be able to accomplish in a mere 7 years. Unlike Japan we did not have a need to decimate the citizens into a state of fear and then ultimately trust. What we failed to realize is that this would become a decades long war spanning multiple generations of new government in order to replace the ideals held deeply by sharia and Islamic law. So a war that lasted 20 years would take at least 75 all of which simpler being occupation to instill values of freedom and confidence.

That, of course, brings us to the events of the last month. Events showing a people who trusted us fleeing their country in fear. A people hanging on to a jet’s wings and falling to their deaths because the risk for freedom outweighed the risk of the Taliban. As President Biden has stepped up to the plate and taken responsibility for being the Commander in Chief…the “buck stops” with him… I do give responsibility to Mr. Biden for the failure to withdraw in a manner that would protect lives. The mission objectives may not have been clear for staying, but the unspoken objective to defend the lives we became responsible for as a nation is undoubtedly clear. As a result of the way we withdrew, a decision made by the President, we not only put lives at risk, we put many more at risk than had to be the case.

I cannot condone the way we left as good when we intentionally, and if unintentional then unwisely, abandoned our friends and allies. Let us continue to offer our prayers and support for the people of Afghanistan as they face a reality they did not ask for and as children thrown to wolves were woefully not ready for.