So here is the central dilemma for the U.S. regarding Afghanistan.
The "endless war" is not over at all, as the latest drone strikes against ISIS operatives reveal. And that war was never about the country of Afghanistan anyway-- it is nothing but the venue for it.
The war against terrorism, as the rhetoric of every President from George W. Bush through Joe Biden confirms, will continue to occur wherever it is deemed necessary anywhere and everywhere to the ends of the earth.
"We will hunt you down and we will make you pay," Biden thundered after the suicide bomb attack on Kabul's airport.
Almost the same words Bush used after 9/11. Remember?
What is going on in Afghanistan is another matter. That the ongoing war against terrorism is connected to the lost war against the Taliban is undeniable, but the Taliban is not ISIS -- in fact they are mortal enemies.
The Taliban is first and foremost about repelling foreign invaders out of Afghanistan. In that fight, they found allies in Al-Qaeda, a Middle Eastern group utterly uninterested in Afghanistan other than finding it a suitable environment for running its terrorist training camps.
Both Al-Qaeda and ISIS are every bit as much foreign invaders as the U.S. or its allies ever were, but their stake in the region is to foment as much insecurity as possible.
That way, their side of the endless war will continue.
Meanwhile, where does that leave the Afghan people, the overwhelming majority of whom want nothing to do with terrorism or violence. The overwhelming majority want peace, freedom, security, education and a better life.
Exactly like the overwhelming majority of Americans.
Here too we have terrorists of the domestic variety. We saw what they tried to do on January 6th at our nation's Capitol. That they are far less sophisticated with the methods of violence like suicide bombings than ISIS and Al-Qaeda is the only reason the death toll from the riot wasn't many times higher than it was.
So you cannot blame Afghanistan for its terrorists any more than you can blame America for our terrorists.
In our world, terror happens.
Now that I've beaten that point into the rubble, let me quote a lovely piece by Husain Haqqani, the former Pakistani ambassador to the U.S. in today's Post:
"Afghanistan is one of the world’s poorest countries, and half of its population, including 10 million children, needed some humanitarian assistance as of early 2021, according to one analysis.
"Tens of thousands of Afghans have lost their homes and become internally displaced. Schools, hospitals and clinics have been destroyed in war. The country will soon run out of fuel and will need to import food.
"The Afghan economy is on the brink of collapse; 80 percent of the nation’s budget was sustained by international grants and aid — now at risk because of the sanctions."
This clearly demonstrates that the Afghan crisis is a humanitarian crisis that has grown out of the endless war. The U.S. government cannot turn its back on the Afghan people in this moment of truth.
They are innocent of any involvement of the endless war; indeed they are its primary victims -- not us. A handful of Americans have perished, tragically it is true, every death is awful, but millions of Afghans are at imminent risk of harm.
*That* is a byproduct of the endless war. It's called collateral damage.
(Thanks to Jay Hirschman for pointing me to the Post piece.)
***
What should you do when the weight of the world grows too heavy? Go to the beach. That is precisely what I did on Saturday in the midst of a heatwave here in the Bay Area.
Our destination was Muir Beach to be precise, where I watched people being carefree. I love seeing people when they are carefree.
I saw families, couples, dogs, babies, tents, umbrellas, frisbees, baseballs, footballs, kites and a few brave swimmers (the ocean is cold here even on a hot day).
For a bit I watched a lovely woman in a cotton dress twirl and wave her arms around in celebration of the pure beauty of the moment. She assembled her group for a photo. Afterward she gave a friend a long hug and then she departed.
My grandchildren dug holes in the sand; the youngest then built her own sand castle down at the water's edge, with an extra wall to protect against the incoming tide.
The tide would ultimately win that battle, of course, but by then my granddaughter and I would be far, far away.
THE HEADLINES:
* U.S. drone strike hits Islamic State car bomb in Kabul, officials say -- American forces launched a drone strike in Kabul on Sunday targeting a suicide bomber in a vehicle who was aiming to attack the airport, U.S. officials said, as the United States nears the end of its military presence in the city. (Reuters)
* U.S. Retaliation for the Kabul Bombing Won’t Stop ISIS or End Terrorism (New Yorker)
* Evacuations From Kabul Wind Down as U.S. Prepares to Pull Last Troops -- Hundreds of thousands of Afghans are still thought to be seeking to flee the country, but President Biden and other global leaders have acknowledged that many will not get out before the deadline. (NYT)
* U.S. warns Americans to evacuate Kabul airport area amid threat of attack (WP)
* A Journey Through Kabul on the Day of the Fall -- A Times correspondent who grew up in the Afghan capital returned before the Taliban’s victory, taking in the end of one era and the fearful start of another. (NYT)
* VIDEO: U.S. Strike Kills Two ISIS-K Militants in Retaliation for Airport Attack (NYT)
* Sanctions on the Taliban will hurt Afghan citizens. Here’s how to fix that. (WP)
* From Kabul Airport to a Houston Walmart: ‘Desperate to Get to America’ -- Members of an Afghan family endured kidnappings, threats and car bombs over the decade they waited for U.S. visas. Now they’re starting a new life in Texas. (NYT)
* Most of the Americans killed in Kabul blast were 9/11 babies who never knew a nation at peace (WP)
* 40 Million People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast. (NYT)
* VIDEO: Time to Prepare for Ida Is ‘Rapidly Closing,’ Louisiana Governor Warns (AP)
* Hurricane Ida could be a storm of historic proportions, Louisiana’s governor says. (NYT)
* With Hurricane Ida set to hit Louisiana on anniversary of Katrina, anxiety grips the region (WP)
* 'Time is not on our side' -New Orleans mayor (Reuters)
* Hurricane Ida winds hit 150 mph ahead of Louisiana strike (AP)
* The Rise of the Covid Midlife Crisis -- Why Are So Many Women Leaving Corporate America? (New Yorker)
* How the pandemic set back women’s progress in the global workforce (WP)
* Delta-Fueled Infections Are Moving Through Rural, Southern Oregon 'Like A Buzzsaw' (NPR)
* The Challenges of Remote Living (New Yorker)
* Packed with virus patients, Louisiana hospitals await Ida (AP)
* Charging Drivers for Road Use Is Popular With Economists, Less So With Drivers (WSJ)
* Five Decades Later, Medicare Might Cover Dental Care -- In the large budget bill now in Congress, supporters of the measure see a rare opportunity to advance a popular policy. (NYT)
* Study: Pretending Everything's Okay Works (The Onion)
***
"Sand Castles"
Song by Beyoncé
Songwriters: Vincent Lecarl II Berry / Mailk Yusef El Shabazz Jones / Beyonce Gisselle Knowles / Midian R. Mathers
I made you cry when I walked away
Oh, and although I promised that I couldn't stay, baby
Every promise don't work out that way, oh, babe
Every promise don't work out that way
Pictures snatched out the frame
Bitch, I scratched out your name and your face
What is it about you that I can't erase, baby?
Well every promise don't work out that way, no no, babe
Well every promise don't work out that way
Show me your scars and I won't walk away
Oh, and I know I promised that I couldn't stay, baby
Every promise don't work out that way, no no no no no
Every promise don't work out that way
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