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

While I have did not serve in country, I know of many shipmates, classmates and other fellow service men and women who have. They all paid a price in some way or another and unfortunately, a few paid the highest. To have this be the end result really saddens and frustrates me, not for myself, but for all their sacrifices, pain and effort in that area of the world. This seems to such an abysmal failure on how this withdrawal of troops has turned out. I definitely put the blame of this fiasco on the top levels of leadership both military and civilian. Those who have served and the small number currently there, working the final efforts to withdraw, have done their jobs and worked their missions to their best. They served with honor and I am proud of their work. Unfortunately, it has been tarnished by the poor strategy and direction that led to this failed state.

us armed forces shouded never ever pulled out of afghanistan,its to late now ,taliban took over control of 80% of country stay out

This sad situation was predictable. After 20 years, the Afghani government and military could not figure out how to win the people over and generate enough hope to overcome the fear of the Taliban. It was time to pull out of this country. Too much money and resources has been expended on a people that we (the US govenrment) never really understood. The worst cost is the men, women and children that have lost their lives, and will continue to lose their lives.

While Pres Biden will shoulder most of the blame, there is plenty to put on former Presidents Bush (43), Obama and Trump and the policy hacks of each respective Presidency. We need to remember that we screwed over the Muj fighting the Russians in the 80's. Our policy failures in Afghanistan started long before 2001.

How do I feel? Sick to my stomach at the ruined lives, the waste if trillions of US dollars and the loss of an ally.

The one thing I understand is that those above me .... direct me. Those below me under my supervision are guided by me. One thing for sure .... I'm not in a pay grade or have the authority to second guess or voice my opinion to cause a disturbance among my fellow troops and pier's. I am very pleased in what ever action my superiors direct. Their dicissions are established by a team effort to strengthen our great country. I am always supportive of my great leaders. All their actions are made with a process that follows up on every step. There may be 5 steps that follow the initial first step. Therefore I should watch and learn and be assured that strategic moves are being made. Again, i salute my government and proudly stand and fight, if asked, and always be supportive to their decisions. Thankyou for allowing me to voice my opinion and allegiance.
1971 Vietnam veteran. Proudly served.

We should have bombed ALL of their cities after 9/11 with ample warning so the multitudes could evac. not s sneak attack like they did. Our focus should be on our country and our allies, not the whole world. We repeated Viet Nam all over again. Semper Fi to all my warrior brothers!

I'm hurt, saddened, and frustrated by the news and the images that are pouring out of Afghanistan. Images of the Taliban walking around with US made and paid M16 rifles is a wild juxtaposition. Seeing Afghan citizens cling to the outsides of US cargo planes and fall from the sky reminds me of some of the men and women trapped in the Twin Towers on 9/11 who jumped rather than face the fires.
I wish I could have a crystal ball to see what the decision making process was like years ago when the US decided to stay in Korea and why it was so different this time in Afghanistan (I know one is an enemy with borders and the other is an enemy without, but still). When the required reading in my battalion was "How to Eat Soup with a Knife" and it talked about the successful counter insurgencies taking 30 years and we only gave Afghanistan 20 is like my military soul screaming. Trump and Biden saying "20 years is long enough" doesn't make sense to me, nor does putting dates on the calendar publicly. For years it's been about "when the conditions on the ground are right" and while I truly hope the conditions were improving, clearly they didn't have the staying power that the people of Afghanistan and the USA were hoping for. All of the projects the military undertook, to build schools, irrigation and drinking water, and other infrastructure projects were wonderful marks for the goodness that can come out of conflict, but will the schools stay open? Will women and girls be allowed to attend? Or was life simply improved for the Taliban?

I'll strongly recommend watching an animated movie called The Breadwinner. My daughter turned it on one day because it was the story of a little girl. Turned out it's the story of a little girl living underneath Taliban rule. My daughter was in 1st grade at the time, and reflecting upon her questions she had while we were watching just made me more thankful and appreciative of the privilege we enjoy of growing up in America. "Why do the women have to cover their faces, why can't she work, why does she have to pretend to be a boy?" and several times she responded with "that's not fair!". It ends in a beautiful, terrible, but wonderful way.

I shudder knowing women are again being reduced to chattel

As a 3 tour veteran in Vietnam it's like watching a remake of a old movie and we know how its gonna end. We did our jobs but in the end its always the politicians final decision and they are more interested in keeping their jobs rather than their promises.

Heartbreaking

I would do it it all over again. I think that a lot of what POTUS stated was correct, however I don't think it was the time for such comments. Our drawdown plan or lack thereof was poorly executed and that is not on any other administration except the one currently running the show. Now is not the time to blame any of the previous three administrations, which the case can be made against. Having said that, I think our mission in AFG was accomplished after killed Bin Laden and severely degraded Al-Qaida, our mission was never nation build, at least not initially. We were always going to leave and after 20 years of "training and equipping" the ANDSF and to see them mount not even a scintilla of a fight against the Taliban is crazy. If the citizens of the country isn't willing to amount any resistance to an opposing force then why should other countries sons and daughters put their lives on the line for them? It's not our country to defend. I empathize and sympathize with all of our fellow Afghanis who assists us in the fight, their family and the women and children who will face retributions from the Taliban. Reach out to your fellow battles and family and lend them your ears and time. Pray for our brothers and sisters who are out there now.