We’ve been at war for over 20 years.. The beginning of the war with Afghanistan started with the September 11, 2001 attacks on American soil by the terrorist group known as al Qaeda.
Throughout the conflict it morphed into the war on Terrorism because of the rise of other terrorist organizations such as the Taliban. We were fighting terror and trying to protect the people who had already suffered so much pain in that corner of the world.
I literally came of age knowing we were sending troops overseas to fight this group of terrorists who hated everything about the American way of life.
This past Sunday, I woke up to the news the Taliban were about to once again take control of Kabul from the Afghan government. They actually had a spokesperson for the militant group make the statement to the Associated Press the takeover would be a peaceful transfer of power.
"No one’s life, property and dignity will be harmed and the lives of the citizens of Kabul will not be at risk," a Taliban statement said according to multiple news sites.
Well, maybe it’s a product of being raised in a time in which we’ve been at war with terrorist groups during my adult life, but I didn’t trust it.
By Sunday afternoon, it was announced the Afghanistani President Ashraf Ghani fled the city aboard U.S. Military helicopters and the Taliban were in complete control of the city.
Again, the group released a statement saying they took control of the city to put a stop to the looting occurring.
Well, by reading a few more reports coming out of the area it was stated the first move made by the Taliban was to release the city’s prisoners. Coincidence? Seems a bit too convenient for looting if you ask me. Seems deliberate and calculated.
One of the most telling comments I read on Sunday, came from now 22-year old Malala Yousafzai.
She said in a Tweet on social media “We watch in complete shock as Taliban takes control of Afghanistan. I am deeply worried about women, minorities and human rights advocates. Global, regional and local powers must call for an immediate ceasefire, provide urgent humanitarian aid and protect refugees and civilians.”
Born in Pakistan, she lived through the rise of the Taliban in her country. She’s lived her life fighting against the atrocities of terrorist groups after surviving a gun shot wound to her head from a Taliban gunman. After her recovery, she went on to become a Pakistani activist for female education. She’s also the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and documented her experiences in her autobiography entitled, “I am Malala.”
I was so moved by her story that I actually read it as a nighttime reading routine to my children for them to understand how different we have things here in America compared to other countries. I wanted them to understand children all over the world experience different backgrounds but essentially have the same sort of emotions such as fear and joy and love and compassion which make us human. Let’s just say, my kids fell in love with Malala as well.
I now echo her sentiments. I fear what this takeover will mean. I can’t help but feel the past twenty years were simply wasted effort. I’m sure we saved lives in the process, but now I worry about the lives which might be lost without our involvement.
I know better than to think we have the resources to sustain policing the world, but I also believe we hold a lot of influence in this world simply by being who we are - Americans.
To quote Stan Lee’s Spiderman comicbook, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
I hope we can find a way to use our influence to shield the innocent lives left behind in Afghanistan as terror takes hold..
