survivor syndrome. But I'm with ya'. Got somebody to talk to? It sometimes helps.

You think we'd learn.

I do have someone I talk with weekly, and have great support at home. I'm certainly lucky.

...its fortunately not as peak as during the Jan. 6 business. I have little faith in our institutions and the people who run our business and ultimately our lives. And I don't mean Joe Biden.

companion. And I am involved in Middle Eastern ventures. My area is quiet and everyone wants it that way.

My future plans include the more dramatic areas.

An active life is the way.

but I've been triggered, angry, and prone to outbursts since Jan 6.

Agree, January 6th certainly was infuriating and a gut punch on so many levels

but I cannot imagine what it is like for those who actually spent time in Afghanistan, seeing what a waste of lives and money it was, driven home so quickly.....terrible

A waste seems like the appropriate description. I spent seven months in Helmand Province and I weep for the people there who will now fall back under a regime that many of them feared. Similarly, I weep for the lives of our service members that were cut short and their families.


Yet, I don't think another alternative was available at this point. It's truly terrible

I sent hundreds of care packages and cards to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq

one of them was this gal, whose biggest fear was being blown up in Iraq.....a few weeks after she received my card thanking her, that's exactly how she died....she was 21 years old.

https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-2006-09-23-3678324-story.html

I have a pretty good idea of what you are feeling. Our country has the biggest and best military in the world, and no one is smart enough to use it properly. The sad part is that in these "wars" that we have been walking away from the military wins almost all of the battles and does an excellent job. The troops do what they have been trained for and do it well. The sorry bastards in charge of foreign policy always figure out a way to really fuck it up and grasp defeat from the jaws of victory every time. The poor guy on the ground doing the heavy lifting has nothing to feel bad about. We did our part, and a little more usually. Our leaders" in DC are the ones who should feel ashamed of what happened. They won't. The campaign money is still rolling in from the MIC and most of them will get reelected. That's the way it works.

We were never going to win in Vietnam nor in Afghanistan. Neither one should we have fought.

We’ve been there for 20 years, propping up there military and government. We gave them plenty of training and plenty of aid, yet they seemed to have retained absolutely none of it. They deserted when confronted and had no spine whatsoever.

Yes, it is the politicians fault to a degree, as in we should never have gone there to give them “freedom”. Also, politicians before Biden should have pulled out long before.

To me, as gut wrenching as it is, the rapid collapse of Afghanistan proves that we were justified in leaving and should have left 19 years ago. No amount of training and aid can make these people want to fight for their own country.

I hate to use the word “triggered, but that’s exactly it.

I only ever was in Iraq from feb 2004 - March 2005, but what I’m seeing is bringing up all of the stuff I’ve been dealing with since Iraq. I’m totally and completely disabled with PTSD and this stuff is getting ready to send me back to the hospital. No biggie, I usually get hospitalized once or twice a year and the VA has always been good to me so I’m not afraid at all to reach out to them if things get too intense for me.

Anyways, I was an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq and I gave too much blood and sweat to that country. I can only imagine how you Afghanistan vets must be taking it. My heart totally goes out to you guys.

I also remember as a 17y.o. watching the fall of Saigon. Empathy and sorrow for those who served there, along with those whom are now going suffer without their protection keeps me from following too closely.

Appreciate you sharing your story!

I feel damn good about the US getting out of that shithole. Never should have occupied it in the first place.