It took 20 years to end the “Forever War” in Afghanistan but the residue, particularly the evacuation of 140,000 Americans and Afghan citizens, presents a new timeline for who’s responsible for the fiasco of the evacuation.
The finger-pointing escalated this past week with the testimony of the generals before Congress and their claim of keeping a contingent of troops in the war-torn country, one that is refuted by President Biden.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin then weighed in placing the blame on the State Department, adding, “A number of things kind of came together to cause what happened to happen.”
To compare the destructive war with the error-filled evacuation is odious since each had its own distinct messiness. That the war even occurred has to be figured into this equation of senselessness.
Placing blame for any of these events is pointless and appears to bring a fresh baggage of disruption when so many issues are exceedingly pressing at the moment.
Most immediate is the debt ceiling that could shut down the government if Republicans continue to block efforts to raise the debt limit.
Another shutdown of the government would be catastrophic for those dependent on Medicare, Social Security, and the ongoing struggle to stabilize the nation in the wake of the pandemic.
And speaking of the pandemic, a decision has apparently been reached after a three-judge panel from the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the city’s vaccine mandate can move forward. And Mayor de Blasio stated that the vaccine requirement goes into effect Oct. 4.
No matter where we turn nowadays an impasse looms, but we hope the current ruling removes one troubling obstacle for our teachers and students.