“[We] did a lot of shitty things in Afghanistan that I’m not very proud of. Someday, I will write about those things. It’s not the time or place for that conversation. However, I hoped to make amends for the red in the ledger by saving lives.”
As I read this in the context of some our our recent collab articles and the response from those who have commented (especially those hypercritical of the IDF doing what I know the US did also) it hit me, “They have no idea the things done in their name.” How difficult it is to work through the tragedy that is inherent to war if you’ve never seen war until now. The IDF’s actions in Gaza in the past 6 months have been far more publicized than any period of time in 20 years in Afghanistan.
And, it reminds me of something that comes into my head from time to time, “Only the bodies return from war.” Some return in a flag covered box. Others return alive, but the young man they were before war is not who they are after. War kills all that it touches. Those young men will never come back. And the stories of the war that killed them might just need to be told so that those who didn’t go to war can know what made them the men they became. And, the ghosts that often visit them.
I’m not talking about Fobbits, whose service is certainly honorable. I’m talking about those who actually serve in combat. Our nation only sent a few folks (relatively speaking) into combat zones, but only a few of the few ever saw the war. Those are the stories Americans might just need to hear. Those are the stories that just might begin to bridge the veteran-civilian divide. When the time is right.
I have been proud of all of your many accomplishments but this is truly your greatest and most noble. I recently went back and watched Schindler's List -- I like to remind myself periodically what is at stake in Israel now and why it is important. And it hit me that saving Afghans is much the same as the scene at the end of the movie when all of those whom Schindler had saved and their descendants gathered at the end. Well someday all of those you (and others) saved and their descendants will gather. More than likely I won't be around any longer but I will still see it all from above. Thank goodness for men and women like you and all of those who gathered to not leave our Afghans behind. Gives me some hope in this messed up world.
Thank you for not abandoning the Afghan allies. I am so fearful of losing our own democracy and system. But sometimes I wonder why we are we so special when we have tossed people like yesterday’s newspaper.
“[We] did a lot of shitty things in Afghanistan that I’m not very proud of. Someday, I will write about those things. It’s not the time or place for that conversation. However, I hoped to make amends for the red in the ledger by saving lives.”
As I read this in the context of some our our recent collab articles and the response from those who have commented (especially those hypercritical of the IDF doing what I know the US did also) it hit me, “They have no idea the things done in their name.” How difficult it is to work through the tragedy that is inherent to war if you’ve never seen war until now. The IDF’s actions in Gaza in the past 6 months have been far more publicized than any period of time in 20 years in Afghanistan.
And, it reminds me of something that comes into my head from time to time, “Only the bodies return from war.” Some return in a flag covered box. Others return alive, but the young man they were before war is not who they are after. War kills all that it touches. Those young men will never come back. And the stories of the war that killed them might just need to be told so that those who didn’t go to war can know what made them the men they became. And, the ghosts that often visit them.
I’m not talking about Fobbits, whose service is certainly honorable. I’m talking about those who actually serve in combat. Our nation only sent a few folks (relatively speaking) into combat zones, but only a few of the few ever saw the war. Those are the stories Americans might just need to hear. Those are the stories that just might begin to bridge the veteran-civilian divide. When the time is right.
I have been proud of all of your many accomplishments but this is truly your greatest and most noble. I recently went back and watched Schindler's List -- I like to remind myself periodically what is at stake in Israel now and why it is important. And it hit me that saving Afghans is much the same as the scene at the end of the movie when all of those whom Schindler had saved and their descendants gathered at the end. Well someday all of those you (and others) saved and their descendants will gather. More than likely I won't be around any longer but I will still see it all from above. Thank goodness for men and women like you and all of those who gathered to not leave our Afghans behind. Gives me some hope in this messed up world.
Americans do indeed need to hear those stories. Many thanks to those who share such personal experiences. They are immeasurably helpful.
Thank you for not abandoning the Afghan allies. I am so fearful of losing our own democracy and system. But sometimes I wonder why we are we so special when we have tossed people like yesterday’s newspaper.
In the end we distinguish ourselves more by what we do for others than what we do for our self.
Well said.