Here at home, on Memorial Day, we exercise the freedoms bequeathed to us
by the fallen, while bearing in mind that the debt that enables our
backyard barbeques can never be repaid. For the best amongst us,
Memorial Day is made more personal by their having witnessed the heroism
and sacrifice of the greatest of our fellow citizens.

Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knaus

During Israel's Memorial Day, the Prime Minister lays a wreath on the
grave of the last soldier to have been killed in action in the preceding
year.

We believe every fallen warrior's story should be told. Sadly, we have
lost far too many for such an endeavor. So, we're going to borrow from
that Israeli tradition and in honor of the those who have sacrificed so
much so that we may live in peace, this week we begin with the story of
the last American to fall in America's longest war: Afghanistan.

Hailing from east Tennessee, and serving in the U.S. Army's 9th
Battalion, 8th Psychological Operations Group, Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knaus
was gravely injured during the August 26th, 2021 bombing of Kabul
airport. He was 23 years old when he succumbed to his wounds. According
to reports, Sgt. Knaus was the last of the 2,461 American fatalities in
the Afghan War.

According to his widow, "He was one of those people that anything he
wanted to do, he could have done, he was brilliant. But he just wanted
to serve his country, it's all he wanted, he thought that was the best
way he could help people."

Tragically, yet perhaps fittingly, helping people, was what Sgt. Knaus
was doing at the airport that day. Helping Americans and Afghan refugees
escape the looming takeover of the country by the Taliban.

For his sacrifice, and for all his brothers and sisters who fell before
him, we are grateful. And to those Sgt. Knaus and all of his fellow
warriors have left behind, we wish to express our most profound
condolences. As we said, some debts can never be truly repaid. We will
relish our freedom and never forget that it is the furthest thing from
free.

Turkey

We recognize that we could've concluded our Action Update here. But
our job is to honor our American traditions and ensure morality informs
American policy.

On Saturday, a CUFI Action Fund staff member, Boris Zilberman, published
an op-ed addressing Turkish President Recep Tayip Erodgan's "not so
charming offensive." Erdogan, as of late, has been trying to rehab his
image a bit in the West. Simultaneously, he has continued to play host
to terrorists and undermine the NATO effort to confront Russia's
aggression.

In his piece, Zilberman provides a clear and concise description of what
Erdogan is doing, how the U.S. is falling for it (proposed weapons sales
to Ankara) and the folly of the Biden Administration's relevant
position.

Zilberman's conclusion could not be clearer: "Until Erdogan makes
permanent and verifiable changes to Turkey's support for jihadists and
terror groups, flouting of U.S. sanctions on Russian arms purchases,
destabilizing actions against allies in the eastern Mediterranean, and
undermining NATO unity, the United States must take a step back."

Check out the full piece at The National Interest
.

Iran

Speaking of not so charming... Last week, Robert Malley, the U.S.
Special Envoy for Iran, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee on the ongoing pseudo-negotiations with Iran over its nuclear
program. Both Republicans and Democrats expressed concerns with the
Biden administration's approach to Iran.

The committee's Chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), spoke plainly in
his remarks: "A deal under which Iran has far less than a six month
breakout time, with sanctions relief in return that will unlock millions
of dollars, and no sunset extensions, is definitely not longer and
stronger. It is shorter and weaker."

For his part, Malley, who would personally make a deal with Iran at any
cost, has come to recognize that a deal with Iran at this stage is
"tenuous at best." This shouldn't make anyone happy. A longer,
stronger and comprehensive agreement between the world powers and Iran
would have been a net positive. But any chance of that happening went
out the window the moment Team Biden decided to open negotiations from a
position of utter weakness.

In the fourth century, Roman General Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus
wrote a book called

**Epitoma Rei Militaris** in which he left us a succinct axiom of
conflict that remains unchanged: "Igitur qui desiderat pacem,
praeparet bellum," which means, if you want peace, prepare for war.

We want peace, and if the Biden Administration wants the same, they must
ensure the Iranians believe that capitulation is not (or at least is no
longer) in the American policy lexicon. Sadly, the proof of the Biden
Administration's failures has just been brought into stark relief:
According to reports, Iran has now stockpiled enough enriched uranium to
build a nuclear bomb.

We will continue to push the Administration and Congress to remember,
accept, and act on the Roman General's advice. We don't want
conflict and have never advocated for a strike on Iran's nuclear
facilities. But the only way to avoid such a calamity is for the U.S. to
prepare for such an action and make clear to Iran that all options are
indeed on the table.

We hope you had a blessed and meaningful Memorial Day. See you next
week.

Sincerely,

The CUFI Action Fund Team

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