Many of Us

Withdrawing from War

Honestly, until recently, I’ve had only a few words formulated about the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Maybe it has something to do with how it has affected my life and who I am today.

I type these words with a heavy heart, seeing the curse not only infect me but infect many of us. I feel like most of us are ready to strap it back on and put the fight to the Taliban, inject war into our veins to not feel this withdrawal. For many of us, we know how they fight, understand their tactics, and know what they can do if not controlled and put into their place.

For many of us, it was a curse to step foot onto Taliban soil. It becomes a death wish for many of us who experienced what the Taliban had to offer. War is not fair people will die. There is no pleading with the Taliban. Many of us found that out the hard way. Many of us felt the aftermath of fighting against the Taliban many years later. While many are still fighting that war internally today. And now, some of us are about to embark on the power of the Taliban for the first time. We might be withdrawing, but in more ways than one, we are all still there.

I am not sure where I am going with all of this. Maybe this is my way of stopping the bleeding that I am feeling come from the inside out. Recognizing this internal wound has taken a lot of work by breaking the curse of the Taliban, a curse many of us have had to destroy as we returned. A curse I feel is taking over slowly. The darkness creeping in, the power of rage and anger filling my veins as though I took a hit of heroin, feeding the addict I once was.

Many of us have lost brothers and sisters to this war. The way the Taliban regaining control is another internal wound many of us have to carry. One that never stops bleeding, a slow drip closer to death. The Taliban bare no rules. They have no left or right lateral limits when it comes to fighting for what they believe in. They are no different then many of us. Filling hearts and minds with beliefs, morals, and values that align their world with surviving, much like many of us. All they know is war, a war that has no end.

Many of us carry the knowledge and skillsets to share with our future warfighters. Many of us might not be fighting next to our brothers and sisters anymore, but we can help prepare them for what is to come. There is a reason many of us are alive today… to share the experiences and lessons we once learned from the Taliban.

Ultimately, we all are addicts experiencing withdrawals from war. You’re not alone; we are not alone. This is the time to lean into each other and help one another get through this withdrawal; create the closure our souls deserve.