August 18, 2021
Afghanistan
I have always said that the life of the leader sets the course for the people. While running errands yesterday, I noticed how unusually unsettled people were in the stores, parking lots, and streets, not to mention the back-to-school shoppers. Americans are affected by this turn of events, just like they were at the fall of Saigon in 1975. That’s the first time I realized that the politicians could lose a war for the United States.
My “wheelhouse” is civics and the Constitution. I am no foreign policy expert-just a citizen observer of world events like you. However, Afghanistan is on everyone’s mind. As I was studying for my Constitution class today, I thought about this page and my website. It wasn’t easy to focus on the treasure of our Constitution, with reports and pictures about our role in Afghanistan flowing in by the hour.
The brave military men and women who defend the cause of freedom do their jobs and do them well. They give a semblance of freedom to the civilian population, offering food, assistance, and kindness in between fighting a war. Our military men and women are American heroes. They do what others are unwilling or unable to do -to give their lives for a cause greater than themselves. Yet, they answer the call in obedience to their commanders and, ultimately, to politicians. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and Article II names the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
So, I have questions. It’s confusing. You can hear multiple sides of the same story, but pictures are worth a thousand words. I know that when things get confusing, we need to search for the truth. Here are some of my questions:
-If our young people are taught that the USA is bad, why are foreigners in 1975 and in 2021 hanging on to the wheels of an aircraft as it attempts to lift off?
If we can draw down correctly and prioritize American lives, why don’t we?
-How are Americans being protected at home and abroad?
-What happens next?
I have read three communications from sources familiar with the situation. There is one that stands out. It reminds me of what we knew:
-Bagram AFB is key. (Why leave it?)
-It’s fighting season. (Why evacuate now?)
-They fight for family and tribe, not for a national government. (Lives are expendable; personal gain is primary. How does our exit strategy reflect this knowledge?)
Ask the questions. Seek answers. Never forget.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
