This past weekend, 8/15/2021, Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. Much is being made about the parallels between the fall of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975, and the events in Kabul yesterday.
Here is a personal parallel. I served for two tours as an Army helicopter pilot in South Vietnam. More recently, my son served for two tours as an Army helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. Today, both of us remember our Army friends who never came home or who came home with grievous injuries that have affected them for the rest of their lives.
And it is the same for several thousand Alameda County veterans who served in Afghanistan during the past twenty years. Their service and sacrifice have been rendered meaningless in a matter of a few days.
And another parallel: The collapse of South Vietnam began in August 1974 when a Democrat controlled congress voted to stop all assistance to the country. By the end of the year North Vietnam began a conventional invasion of South Vietnam. The collapse of Afghanistan began the day President Biden announced all US forces would leave the country by the end of this month.
It gets much worse. The collapse of Kabul has encouraged our enemies once again. One day what we faced in Afghanistan and Iraq will seem insignificant in comparison to what we will face. What will we do?
- Doug Miller, ACRP Central Committee