Today
is Veterans Day, a holiday honoring those past and present who have
served in the armed forces, including in the war currently being fought
in Afghanistan. The president claims he will complete the troop
withdrawal by the end of 2014, but will maintain a yet to be determined
number of U.S. troops. American Thinker interviewed some military veterans to get their thoughts about the current situation in Afghanistan.
In 2008 Obama said in his campaign that Afghanistan was the 'good war' but his actions have made it clear that it is now the 'complicated war.' It will be interesting to see if he will keep a troop presence there and will continue to support training, logistics, intelligence, special operations, and some air power.
Marine Corporal Dakota Meyer, who wrote Into the Fire about his experience in Afghanistan, wants Americans to understand that whether they believe in the war or not, the troops must always feel that they are supported, so take the time to do something for them on Veterans Day. Regarding the war, he believes that the soldiers over there do not think nation-building is working since "it is impossible to turn Afghans into Americans. They have a different culture. You can't go in and transform other countries. You can't convert people to something they do not want to be."
A former SEAL agrees and goes further, telling American Thinker that no one can understand what it is like in Afghanistan unless they have been there. He used a quote from Nelson DeMille's latest book, The Panther, to describe his feelings: "Demille, a former Vet, wrote, 'Not to underestimate these people. They may be backward, but they're not stupid.' The rule of law is the village elder who bases his decisions on 1000-year-old traditions, and has disdain for our way of life. They are able to infiltrate us, having 'green on blue attacks.' It is a lawless country that pretty much mirrors the Wild West. Let the Afghans take control of their country."
In 2008 Obama said in his campaign that Afghanistan was the 'good war' but his actions have made it clear that it is now the 'complicated war.' It will be interesting to see if he will keep a troop presence there and will continue to support training, logistics, intelligence, special operations, and some air power.
Marine Corporal Dakota Meyer, who wrote Into the Fire about his experience in Afghanistan, wants Americans to understand that whether they believe in the war or not, the troops must always feel that they are supported, so take the time to do something for them on Veterans Day. Regarding the war, he believes that the soldiers over there do not think nation-building is working since "it is impossible to turn Afghans into Americans. They have a different culture. You can't go in and transform other countries. You can't convert people to something they do not want to be."
A former SEAL agrees and goes further, telling American Thinker that no one can understand what it is like in Afghanistan unless they have been there. He used a quote from Nelson DeMille's latest book, The Panther, to describe his feelings: "Demille, a former Vet, wrote, 'Not to underestimate these people. They may be backward, but they're not stupid.' The rule of law is the village elder who bases his decisions on 1000-year-old traditions, and has disdain for our way of life. They are able to infiltrate us, having 'green on blue attacks.' It is a lawless country that pretty much mirrors the Wild West. Let the Afghans take control of their country."
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