Last week, American troops left their main base in Afghanistan, bringing an effective end to a two-decade war. We asked veterans to share their perspectives 👇 1/9
‘When I got out of the service, I thought I was done fighting.'
Nivardo Gonzalez says he wants to be remembered more for his contributions to his community than in combat. He now hosts a book club and teaches meditation to other vets facing mental health challenges.
2/9
‘Our friends died and what was it all for?’
@_M_Gibbs shares why he feels it’s past time to end the war in Afghanistan and describes the kinship he feels with Afghan interpreters who put their lives at risk, only to be ‘forgotten about.’
3/9
‘I wondered, are my kids going to end up fighting in the same country I did?’
@PeterMartuneac shares how becoming a father changed his perspective on the war he fought in as a young man.
4/9
‘I get it, it’s not easy, but I don’t know that staying there forever and a day is the right thing either.’
Marissa Readinger joined the army at 18, unsure what to do next. She explains that while it was a fulfilling experience, it felt like a Band-Aid effect.
5/9
'We were all just doing our jobs ... but we didn't really know what that was.'
Aaron Green, who was in the Navy for 26 years, says that although a lot of good things happened while the U.S. was in Afghanistan, it will all be a waste once they leave.
6/9
‘We’ve lost trillions of dollars there. You may have seen some of the waste that we’ve expanded there.’
@JohnByrnes13 says that after all the efforts to rebuild Afghanistan, it remains pretty much where it was culturally and technologically 20 years ago.
7/9
'We focus on our coalition’s casualties when there’s collateral damage – and that collateral damage is people.'
Jeffrey Chapdelaine feels a sense of responsibility to the people of Afghanistan and wants the withdrawal to be done for the right reasons and in the right way
8/9
Hear more from Americans as they reflect on the return from Afghanistan, with some wondering why they were there in the first place 9/9 reut.rs/3hMVAdT
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