What are your feelings as the Taliban reclaim Afghanistan after 20 years of US involvement?

Now only if everyone was similarly disposed toward their fellow servicemembers. Readiness and soldier care are not mutually exclusive.

It seems our top brass has turned into politicians. Where are the leaders? The ones that will actually take responsibility for their actions. Service before self. Seems like there is a lot of finger pointing. Yet no resignations. I agree with Sgt Collins, people in the military don't care if your purple as long as you do your job, though there are always those small exceptions.

SGT Shina Collins - our higher up's preference for fast results in regards to the reconstruction (even when they knew that they couldn't be sustained) was crammed down the throat of Afghanistan as these goals grated against the reality that was going on. This created a massive disconnect with war effort and reconstruction effort.

In hind sight is very easy to see how this house of cards collapsed so quickly. We attempted to root out corruption while at the same time injected billions of dollars to get the economy going which in fact amplified the corruption. This impacted our ability to improve or create a legitimate centralized form of governance as it meant many times empowering corrupt or predatory individuals because they produced fast results. We then directed considerable reconstruction funds through this corrupt Afghan government. With rampant waste, fraud and abuse we then tried to create this façade of democracy in holding elections. The end result - instead of eroding support for the Taliban and building faith in the Afghan government our efforts did the exact opposite. Betting many Afghans believe this is how our government works in American and to be honest their understanding wouldn't be that far off - inept leaders pushing policies regardless of the end results while getting rich doing it. This is were our military leadership failed - they lied in saying things were improving when in fact there weren't. They should have pushed backed against the demands for quick results but like many have stated "making rank" and appeasing our inept political leadership outweighed the future of millions of Afghans.
While Afghans see a return of the Taliban - Lloyd Austin gets promoted to Secretary of Defense and resides comfortably in his $3 million dollar mansion as such it appears a private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses a war.

https://theintercept.com/2021/09/08/afghanistan-iraq-generals-soldiers-disciplined-911/

SGT John Overby - Don't be so quick to make such an arrogant and derogatory statement about Col. Maloney's post. I am quite sure he is not referring to having literal confusion over the logistics and corruption. I suspect he is referring to how we, as the American people, have rolled over so willingly; and let our Government go this far with its own corruption and blind eyes.
Biden is not responsible. We, the American people, are responsible; for continuing to elect a self perpetuating, corrupt system.

Being an armchair soldier now, I think I could at least see the corruption and he is an LTC.

I cannot say that this surprised me when it happened. However, that did not alleviate my sadness and sense of helplessness.

Sgt Overby, I think you are being a little arrogant with your statement and missing the Colonel's point. I think what most of us can't wrap our heads around is there was no plan and the "top" didn't care.

Yes. That’s what I feel. Anxiety. I’ve been struggling to name this. I feel physically ill.

Me too.

I was in college during the fall of Saigon. I joined the military during the Iran crisis. This feels different. What am I going to say to the families of friends I lost. I too feel ill and in total disbelief. Prayers to everyone that served. Its going to be a hard road ahead.

"Brevity is the soul of wit" - spoken by Polonius, in act 2, scene 2 of Hamlet. Not 'wit' as in humor but in conveying many feelings with few words.

LTC John Shaw Sometimes I have my moments sir, most I don’t. :)

It's really an amazing feat for a ragtag group .But yes,the humiliation is gonna leave a scar. It's almost like a deal was struck and enough time was given to get in position. Eh?

Damn true, and the Russians killed not like us, afraid to kill anybody, because of some schmuck, said we could not kill whom we wanted to.

Thank you my friend and brother-in-Christ Maj Marty Hogan for weighing in with an excellent response.

yes, the politicians made the mess, send in the military then don't let them do their job and here We are again !

Well said.

Well said.

I wish you every success at letting it go and moving on. If you find it difficult reach out for assistance. I lived an angry and bitter 20 years before I did. See, I didn't think the War and it's aftermath affected me, son of lifer and career member of the military myself. I was tough. Til I was on my knees.

CPT Greg Adams - AMEN