Veterans of the armed forces of the NATO international coalition led by the United States, 20 years at war with a terrorist group “Taliban” (banned in Russia), were shocked and outraged by the rapid fall of the Afghan capital. It is reported by the newspaper USA Today.
Due to the rapid onset of the Taliban, which began August 8, 2021, during the week almost all the country’s territory was invaded by extremists.
“Is it worth it?”
“A lot of veterans who fought for almost 20 years, asking:” Is it worth it? Were not our sacrifices in vain “?” – said Rebecca Sanderlin, the wife of one of the American soldiers who went seven times on business trips to Afghanistan
.
According Sanderlin, many US military, including those who became crippled in the war, shocked by the decision of President Joseph Biden to hold such a hasty withdrawal of troops, turning a full capture of the country by terrorists “Taliban”.
Megan McGill sister of US National Guard soldier who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013, in an interview with the TV channel WJAR said that it is unfortunate to know that her brother gave his life for the sake of this final.
A similar opinion is shared by Denver Rigglman, a former congressman from Virginia, who served in Afghanistan. “I was transferred to Afghanistan September 21, 2001. So many people have died in the towers [World Trade Center September 11, 2001]. So many of my brothers had fallen in arms. I know that the Taliban are doing to women. Today, I am very hard” , – Rigglaman wrote on his page on Twitter, commenting on the fall of Kabul
.
“The situation appalling, Afghanistan – it’s a wonderful country, its people did not deserve the fate to live under the control of such a brutal thugs as” Taliban “,” – said the former US Army mortar Jason Kirell, who served in Afghanistan in 2010-2011 respectively. A similar opinion is shared by a retired US Air Force Colonel Scott Murray.
In a conversation with NPR portal retired US Army Colonel Mike Jason, who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, said that the capture of insurgents “Taliban” Afghan cities caused him deja vu. It reminded him of the attack of militants “Islamic state” (IG, banned in Russia) in Iraq in 2014.
The retired colonel believes that the main mistake of the US in Afghanistan was the lack of a clear strategy and goal setting. “We were not the 20-year war, but rather 20 separate wars, without any clear strategy” – Jason thinks
.
The same emotions are experienced veterans from the UK. “Today, many are discouraged in our army for us, those who were in Kandahar and Lashkar Gah, painful to look at the fall of the city, we still could help Afghanistan, but due to lack of political will did not do it..”, – he stated Telegraph retired paratrooper Andrew Fox.