August 28, 2021
By James Poplar
Two days ago, I received the following text from a business associate in Afghanistan:
Hello James,
As you know, Afghanistan is on the brink of a drastic devastating change to its system and the fabric of its society. Taliban has taken control of the country and is targeting humanitarian and NGO in Afghanistan and they are conducting house by house search to identify NGOs, UN, and civil society activist. Currently, my wife and I are in danger, if Talib identifies our status we will not be alive anymore. We are looking to get out here to save our lives. Thus, I am contacting you to assist us to get out here and save our lives.
The administration keeps insisting that "all is under control." It is also dealing directly with the Taliban — who control security to Kabul airport — while at the same time stating that U.S. policy is still not to negotiate with terrorists. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is relying heavily on the statements and promises by Taliban leaders to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan. As we would say in the military, the administration's policy and actions are FUBAR. I will let you figure out the meaning of the acronym for yourself.
Despite a feckless attempt at spinning a positive narrative through the art of kabuki theater, texts like the one that I received tell the real story of what is taking place on the ground. It is time for the administration to come clean and tell it like it is. Once the election was called in his favor, Biden assured Americans, "I'm going to tell it to you straight. I'm going to tell you the truth." He was talking about COVID, but the same promise should apply across the board. However, in the coming days, many members of his team will be standing in line to receive the Pinocchio award.
It is easy to sit back and try to remain detached while acknowledging to yourself that the emperor has no clothes, but when you receive a text like that above it jolts you quickly back into reality. This text breaks my heart and will haunt me as long as I live. What have we become as a nation where we turn our backs on those who stood by our side? We are witnessing in real time a sad chapter in our nation's history.
Upon receiving the text, I did what I could, which, in my case, as a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, meant contacting Senator Mark Warner's office. I am working to obtain the required information from my associate in country in an effort to extricate him and his family from the ongoing chaos. Please pray for him and all others who stood by our side in the fight against terrorism and whom we have abandoned. This is not the same America that I fought for while on active duty for thirty years.
The text that will haunt me for the rest of my life
By James Poplar
Two days ago, I received the following text from a business associate in Afghanistan:
Hello James,
As you know, Afghanistan is on the brink of a drastic devastating change to its system and the fabric of its society. Taliban has taken control of the country and is targeting humanitarian and NGO in Afghanistan and they are conducting house by house search to identify NGOs, UN, and civil society activist. Currently, my wife and I are in danger, if Talib identifies our status we will not be alive anymore. We are looking to get out here to save our lives. Thus, I am contacting you to assist us to get out here and save our lives.
The administration keeps insisting that "all is under control." It is also dealing directly with the Taliban — who control security to Kabul airport — while at the same time stating that U.S. policy is still not to negotiate with terrorists. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is relying heavily on the statements and promises by Taliban leaders to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan. As we would say in the military, the administration's policy and actions are FUBAR. I will let you figure out the meaning of the acronym for yourself.
Despite a feckless attempt at spinning a positive narrative through the art of kabuki theater, texts like the one that I received tell the real story of what is taking place on the ground. It is time for the administration to come clean and tell it like it is. Once the election was called in his favor, Biden assured Americans, "I'm going to tell it to you straight. I'm going to tell you the truth." He was talking about COVID, but the same promise should apply across the board. However, in the coming days, many members of his team will be standing in line to receive the Pinocchio award.
It is easy to sit back and try to remain detached while acknowledging to yourself that the emperor has no clothes, but when you receive a text like that above it jolts you quickly back into reality. This text breaks my heart and will haunt me as long as I live. What have we become as a nation where we turn our backs on those who stood by our side? We are witnessing in real time a sad chapter in our nation's history.
Upon receiving the text, I did what I could, which, in my case, as a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, meant contacting Senator Mark Warner's office. I am working to obtain the required information from my associate in country in an effort to extricate him and his family from the ongoing chaos. Please pray for him and all others who stood by our side in the fight against terrorism and whom we have abandoned. This is not the same America that I fought for while on active duty for thirty years.
