A July 4th Weekend Goodbye to Afghanistan

With the last U.S. troops leaving Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan this week, the full withdrawal of American troops from that country is expected to be fully complete within weeks.

Reports say that nearly 20 years after the first American troops arrived and took control of the airfield after the 9-11 attacks, the transfer of the base to the Afghan military took place quietly, with no fanfare, no celebration. The end of a war that has been the longest in American history is coming to an end quietly, at least so far.

There are fears among some that as soon as all U.S. troops leave Afghanistan, the Taliban terrorists will take over again and things could go back to the way things were two decades ago before America’s involvement there.

There are others, including President Biden and former President Trump, who have been in favor of bringing the troops home and ending our involvement.

It has to be bittersweet and maybe even emotionally painful for the thousands of American servicemen and women who served there, who were wounded there, and for the families of those who died there.

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day this weekend, it is hard not to think about what America has fought for these last 20 years in Afghanistan and during many decades in the past, in many other countries during our history, for democracy, for justice and for freedom.

America’s founders were not perfect. America’s leaders today are not perfect. And America is not perfect. But as we mark our nation’s declaration of independence it is a good time to reflect on what America is and should be…all about.

(Photo credit Getty Images)