Two years ago today, 13 of America’s finest perished in a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. A detailed account of the gruesome attack was contained in James Hasson and Jerry Dunleavy’s new bestseller, Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden’s Fiasco and the American Warriors Who Fought to the End. A small excerpt:
3rd platoon of Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (known as “2/1”), gathered 1,250 feet away for a group photo. In less than an hour, they’d begin their final shift at Abbey Gate. Their platoon sergeant tried his best to capture a moment to commemorate what they’d endured together. He took a few shots, then told the platoon to turn ninety degrees and face toward the gate, where the fading sunlight offered the best picture. The Marines first saw a flash of light, then felt the concussion of a blast in their chests. For a few seconds, everyone remained frozen in place while their brains attempted to process the sensory overload. Reality set in as body parts started raining down on the cement around them. The entire platoon sprinted toward the gate.
That the Marines ran toward the fight, amidst a downpour of limbs and appendages, is deserving of our eternal respect and gratitude. But the rest of this sordid chapter in America’s history, a shame that America’s sons and grandsons and great-grandsons will shoulder for generations, is deserving of contempt. Jerry and James were meticulous in their findings, walking readers through these avoidable deaths amidst an avoidable fiasco. The entire book is a maddening but necessary read.
Those brave 13 were rightfully welcomed home with full military honors, and several were laid to a peaceful rest in the Arlington dirt. But many of the Afghans who fought for America, who trusted America and put their faith in America, were left behind. Some are still there. Some have family remaining. These families are targets, ever dodging Taliban hit squads and desperate in their hope to flee the regime. The Taliban wants to kill them because they helped America soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Many have fallen, in executions either sanctioned by the Taliban or unsanctioned and accomplished via extrajudicial hit squad.
America has it in her power to keep her word to our Afghan friends and allies, the people who trusted us and the people who are now paying the price for our heartless abandonment. But legislative action is required, and Congress is at an impasse. This has infuriated veterans groups, who are desperate to bring home Afghans like the brave interpreters who served shoulder-to-shoulder and shed blood with U.S. combat units.
Earlier this month, timed around the two-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul, two dozen veteran and advocacy groups released a letter calling for Congress to act and act with urgency. The groups exercised sound judgment by not making specific policy demands to the Congress, only to say, in essence — please get it done and get it done now. The “it” represents new vetting and visas authorities necessary to deliver our friends and allies from the clutches of the Taliban.
The ultimate enemy here, besides the Taliban, is time. The defense bill was the best opportunity to clear a compromise agreement on new visas and vetting procedures, but that ship sailed without an agreement in place. An omnibus bill, the appropriations mega-bill that sometimes manifests in the waning weeks of the legislative year, is the next best opportunity. If Congress swings at the proverbial fastball and misses again, there will be few legislative targets of opportunity before next summer.
That would be another year of America breaking her word. And while we bear that shame, the Taliban will have another year to hunt, find, and execute those who trusted us the most.