The 20 year Long War

The 20 year Long War

Leia Rasmussen

Afghanistan. What was once a beautiful nation is now a war-torn country ruled by the Taliban with its citizens fearing the future. How does it get from being one of the most beautiful, historic cities in the world to a place ruled by destruction? After Septemeber 11, 2000 everything changed for America as the realization set in that a  new threat was upon us.  On Camp Pendleton training centers that look like towns became  military practice locations for troops  before they deploy to Afghanistan. Lots of people deploy once, sometimes twice.

The last four presidents have made a huge impact on the war with Afghanistan. President. Bush announced the beginning of the  war and sent the first generation of marines to Afghanistan. President Obama ended the war in Iraq. Last year, then-President Donald Trump announced a plan to pull out troops from Afghanistan and signed a deal with the Taliban that limited U.S. military action against them. President Joe Biden just  announced that the last troops would leave by the end of August in light of changing circumstances in Afghanistan.

With the Taliban back in control troops are pulling out and citizen and trying to leave.  This is heartbreaking as they  have to leave their homes, friends, pets, anything with sentimental value, everything. and as fast as possible try to go to an airport to have a chance to escape. They would have to wait on the floor at airports and fear the Taliban would not find them. With no sanitary products for anyone. And those who were not escaping were scared and stuck at home in fear. 

So many people are trying to leave the country because of fear of chaos caused by the Taliban of revenge on people who worked with the Americans. It is so dangerous that President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country saying he had chosen to leave to avoid further bloodshed. According to elanews.com “Many also fear the Taliban will reimpose the harsh interpretation of Islamic law that they relied on when they ran Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001″.

Back then, women were barred from attending school or working outside the home. They had to wear a burqa, a piece of cloth that covers their face and body. Wearing a burqa is not a requirement in the Islamic faith. It is a practice among the most conservative of Muslims. Women under the Taliban also had to be accompanied by a male relative whenever they went outside. The Taliban banned music and also held public punishments.”

 It is not safe for anyone that is why we have so many immigrants coming and children coming and being put in foster care.

Nine nonprofit resettlement agencies, including the International Rescue Committee and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, oversee a network of affiliates that work to help refugees. Once they are placed in their new cities, they typically get food and housing assistance for the first 90 days but are expected to become self-sufficient. They are greeted at the airport and taken to their new home, generally an apartment. The nonprofit groups — which operate with a combination of government grants and private donations — help them find a job and get acclimated. “People are intimidated and nervous and all of those emotions. But they’re also, I think, excited. People come in just feeling safe again,” said Mark Hagar, the Dallas-area director for Refugee Services of Texas.

 HOW CAN PEOPLE HELP? The groups that help resettle refugees not only need donations but also volunteers to meet families at the airport, help set up their apartments and help them get oriented to the new culture.” The International Rescue Committee, for instance, says that in addition to financial contributions, it can use donated furniture, groceries, and items for babies.”Hagar said the agency has been encouraged to see thea amount of volunteers in response to events in Afghanistan. ”