|
It is with a solemn heart that I write to you today about our withdrawal from Afghanistan. For the past twenty years, our forces have been engaged with radical Islamic terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and the surrounding regions. During that time, the American people were told by our military and political leaders that ongoing military ops was critical to combatting the war on terror.
We did not “win” in Afghanistan because we had a constantly shifting strategy, limited resources, and unrealizable objectives that changed as often as the administration's command philosophy. When there is a lack of clarity and oversight, corruption takes hold. Nation-building was never acknowledged as the objective in Afghanistan, therefore inadequate funding and resources were allocated towards Afghan infrastructure after the initial defeat of the Taliban. The modern Counterinsurgency Manual had not even been published in 2001 and would not be for several years into the war.
Our continued involvement in Afghanistan after the death of Osama Bin Laden was justified by the need to deny the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and terrorist organizations a base of operations in Afghanistan. For twenty years, our servicemen and women deployed to Afghanistan and completed that mission. Their service and sacrifice should be honored, not labeled a waste.
At the end of WWII, we had a comprehensive strategy and plan to Nation Build. The Marshall Plan provided the dependable stability and peace necessary to create economic opportunity from the ashes of war. Because we had clear objectives, defined non military civil strategy, adequate funding, and the support of the international community, we succeeded.
|
