News Outlook
September 02, 2021 5
By Brad Jones and Matt
Koch
“When you’re wounded
and left on Afghanistan's
plains, and the women
come out to cut up what re-
mains, jest roll to your rifle .
and blow out your brains
and go to your gawd like a
soldier.” English poet and
journalist Rudyard Kipling
wrote these words more
than a century ago after his
own experiences with the
brutality of Afghanistan.
Today, I wish I could ask
my dad how he felt watch—
ing Saigon fall in 1975. We
\ imagine that it must’ve
been something like we
are feeling now as Afghani-
stan war veterans. We
find ourselves stuck some-
where between we (Ameri—
cans) needed out and
sickened by the outcomes
that are already occurring.
The Taliban have never
done anything peacefully.
Executions, rape, forced
marriages, and exile await
anyone who stands in their
way.
After reading numerous
books, studying the cul-
ture, and being deployed
there, we still cannot say
we understand Afghani-
stan. Can any American?
It feels like a lifetime ago
when we landed there
one cold morning in Janu-
ary 2004 as Infantry Offi-
cers with 6th Marines Air
Ground Task Force. It
was our job to know the
country. So how does one
“know” Afghanistan? In
the early days of 2004, you
started with the Russians,
~ Afghanistan
ors of the region, including
Alexander the Great; you
study Shahr e Gholghola
(the city of screams) who
fell to Ghengis Khan in
1221.
What do they all have in
common? They are gone
and the Afghanis are still
there. The Soviets entered
and left a wretched 9 1/2
years later. Critics referred
to it as the Soviet Union’s
Vietnam. The harsh moun-
tain environment proved
to be too much for the Red
Army. Much like the Brit-
ish who saw 16,000 troops
destroyed with only one
survivor making it to Ja-
lalabad in the 18405.
The Afghanis have what
we do not Time. It is of
no consequence to them
whether they wait us out
for one year or twenty
years. Let’s be clear, not
every citizen of Afghani-
stan believes or follows
Sharia Law. We would
argue that most do not
want it, but isn’t the old-
est law around the one
that says those who has
the power make the laws.
We could’ve held and sup-
ported the proud people
of Afghanistan, but instead
we have abandoned them
in their moment of need.
That will never be forgot—
ten. The people didn’t need
20,000 troops to hold the
line. What they needed
was the hope and prom-
ise that America had their
back. It’s much easier to
fight and stand tall when
you know that air support
is a call away. How can an
Afghani commander stand
and fight when the Talib
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ily and take the will away?
It’s not that they don’t want
to fight, but rather they
are faced with certain loss
when they do.
We know what the take-
over will look like. We have
seen it before. The Taliban
will impose a brand of jus-
tice that most Americans
can’t even begin to fathom.
In our days of political cor-
rectness and wokeness
most of us have no idea
the level of evil that exists.
They will ban all un-Islamic
behavior. It will require
women to wear the head-
to-toe burqa; men better
start growing their beards.
Music, movies, and TV will
be eliminated or govern-
ment controlled. Simply
said, when war ends for
some, it does not truly end
for those left behind.
As veterans, Afghani-
stan is with us every day.
It’s part of who we are.
We pray for the families of
2312 Arnericans who gave
their lives on the fields of
Afghanistan; They car-
ried out their mission
and did it well. We think
about the children of Af-
ghanistan and memories
come flooding back. We
remember the children
we shared MREs with or
gave crayons to. We think
about children living in
mud-bricked houses nes-
tled into a mountain near
Asadabad. As dusk set into
the Kunar Valley, children
would emerge from their
homes, wade through the
poppies, and stand at the
edge of our base. There,
they waited, dirty faces
staring eagerly at us over
the concertina wire that
lay beyond the walls. What
did they want? Candy.
Hard candy. We watched
them approach from the
roof of a nearby building.
And, oneby—one, we tossed
candy over the wire and
laughed as they chased
it. Something so simple to
us as candy brought them
tremendous joy. Where are
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AUCTION 8. REAL ESTATE 00., NC.
Jerry Neal
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606-748-0128 — Cell
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those children now? How
are they affected by the
ending of the war?
We saw daughters play-
ing on a sandbar as moth-
ers washed clothes in the
crisp waters of the Kunar
River. These daughters
would be young women
now and subjected to the
Taliban’s inhumanity.
When war ends for
some, it does not truly
end for those left behind.
Repercussions from the
fighting remain. Poverty,
years of rebuilding and
retribution for those who
supported the party who
lost, or who abandoned the
war and its people, also re-
main. Such will be the case
for those who supported
America these last two de-
cades and are left there to ‘
face the Taliban. For them,
it is worse the war ended.
And how do they View
America now?
John Donne famously re—
minds us that “no man is an
island entire of itself; every
man is a piece of the con—
tinent; a part of the main.”
The metaphorical main
inhabited two decades by
America and Afghans has
been split asunder, shat-
tered by a hasty depar-
ture and promises of duly
earned asylum, unkept by
our government. Those
watching who might one
day need our help, join our
metaphorical continent,
may instead choose to
remain an island of them-
selves.
Brad Jones is a former
Marine Infantry Officer
and author of “Black Walls
Turn Gray.” Matt Koch is
a former '»Mar'are§f
gence OffiCer
state representative from
the 72nd District which
includes Bourbon, Bath,
Nicholas, and part of Fay—
ette.
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EMPLOYMENT
Caregiver needed for an
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YARD SALES
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and every week until
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Jewlry, Some tools, wood
crafts, movies and more.
Rowan Area:
THREE YARD SALES
At 2959 U, S, 60 East in
Morehead...on Friday
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clothes ‘ from small to
3X womens plus Big
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shoes-knick knacks-
linens -household items-
pictures— dishes Much
Morel! Several families
with lots of stuff...
Lifting is involved. She ‘
has little mobility. Shift is
Wednesday thru Saturday
2:00pm to 9:00pm. Pays
$10.00 a hour. (606) 776-
0433.
SERVICES
"Are “you paying more
than $50 month for your car
insurance? For low prices
and low down payments,
call 1—800—2563575."
,Losr
Brown clutch purse in
the Carlisle Clinic area on
August 18. If found please
take to the Carlisle Po-
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Sheriff’s Office.
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l . applicants on the basis of race,
color. sex. sexual orientation or :ra'»..:"".~,":'
preference, disability, age, veteran status, national
origin, religion, or political affilialion.
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for an appointment with Jimmie Gates at
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Jimmie will be at Soper’s Drugs in Carlisle, KY on
the 1st and 3rd Wednesday in August (4th & 18th).
He will be at Ross Drug the 1st & 3rd Thursday in
August (5th & 19th). He will be at MedSave every
Friday in August (6th, 13th, 20th & 27th)
Do you have questions about Medicare, Medicare
