OPEN LETTER

On August 31st, 2021, the American veteran community witnessed 20 years’ worth of sacrifice vanish overnight as the Taliban terrorists conquered Kabul, Afghanistan.

The collective conscience of the American veteran community was left demoralized, disheartened, and hopeless as Washington policymakers turned their backs on the two groups that sacrificed the most in this South-Central Asian nation: the freedom-loving people of Afghanistan, and the 800,000 American servicemen and women who served faithfully there at the tip of the spear.

Since the fall of Afghanistan, veteran suicide prevention hotlines have experienced a 73% increase in callers. Many of these calls were from U.S. veterans who served in the 20-year war. We fear that the deaths of 2,456 Americans, the grievous wounds suffered by 25,000 Americans, the deaths of 69,000 Afghan allies, and 200,000 wounded Afghan allies have been in vain.

But just as we, America’s veterans, have answered freedom’s call in the past, we do so again today.

When the withdrawal began in August 2021 we traveled into Taliban-occupied Afghanistan to evacuate the allies we swore to protect. Allies who are our brothers in arms. Allies who stayed loyal to their sacred oath. Allies who laid down their lives to save American servicemen and women.

And once again, we are putting our lives on the line for the ideals that our nation and its citizens hold dear. Ideals such as freedom, equality, human rights, and democracy. The same ideals the majority of Afghan people believe in.

But sadly, this is not the reality for our Afghan allies today. 

In Afghanistan today, women are publicly lashed like animals. Wearing colorful clothing is forbidden. Citizens are shot daily in the streets.

Since the signing of the Doha Agreement in 2020, the Taliban has violated their end of the bargain multiple times.

The Taliban provided safe haven to Ayman Al-Zawahri, Al Qaeda’s co-founder and Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man.

The Taliban provides aid and support to 20 terror organizations operating openly in Afghanistan. They are not hiding in caves; they are flourishing in the streets.

And since the Taliban’s victory, members of these 20 terror organizations have been apprehended in record numbers crossing the U.S. southern border. It’s likely that many more have slipped past our security measures undetected.

These terrorists, armed and funded by the Taliban regime ruling Afghanistan, are plotting the destruction not only of the United States, but of our allies all over the world. They have been emboldened with a newfound fanaticism.

These things have come about because the American government has violated a principle that has long been the bedrock of our foreign policy: “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”

What we are allowing to happen in Afghanistan is detrimental to our moral system and our national security alike. We give no reason for our former, current, and future allies to trust us any longer. We imperil our freedom of action on the world stage and endanger the future of our children to an uncertain world of terror and darkness.

We are urging you to take action to repair the damages that have been done so that the people of Afghanistan will once again have the opportunity know freedom and to no longer live in daily fear of terrorism. To do this, we have identified a group in Afghanistan that majority of U.S. Afghanistan combat veterans endorse. This group is the National Resistance Front, and they are leading the fight against the terrorists today.

Led by Ahmad Massoud, the National Resistance Front stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States before and during the war in Afghanistan, even warning the U.S. government of the impending 9/11 terror attack. 

Today, their forces are composed of former Afghan National Army Special Forces. These commandos have been trained, funded, and advised by America for 20 years. They are elite, dedicated, and incorruptible. And what’s more, they share the same strategic aims American forces have fought and died for over the past 20 years.

Based on our collective experiences in Afghanistan, we recommend swiftly enacting the following responses to alleviate the suffering of Afghanistan’s people, prevent a further humanitarian catastrophe, and mitigate the threat of international terrorism: 

1. Recognize the National Resistance Front as the last remaining democratic forces representing Afghanistan.

2. Provide political support, aid, and materials to the National Resistance Front to help defeat international terrorism.

3. Further isolate and sanction the Taliban and other terrorist groups inside Afghanistan. 

4. . Invite the leader of the National Resistance Front, Ahmad Massoud, to Washington D.C. to facilitate further dialogue on peace talks and intelligence sharing. 

Our comprehensive experiences in Afghanistan come from being directly involved at all levels of our 20-year war effort. We sincerely hope our voices as U.S. veterans of this war are not ignored, but instead are fully utilized to support our nation and our allies. 

Our actions should reflect the ideals of our great nation. The ideals that courageous Americans have fought for and given their lives for since the founding of our republic almost 250 years ago. These ideals do not have an expiration date. That is why we urge you, as American leaders on the right side of history, to act immediately. 

Sincerely,

Vets For NRF

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