When Jeff and I first heard the news that we were given a date certain for all US troops to leave Afghanistan, we were taken aback.  After 20 long years of MFSO families working so hard to make this happen and always watchful of approaching deadlines and promises, it’s seems odd to be startled at the news? Even after hearing it officially from President Biden’s own lips, we are still in disbelief. Since that day the MFSO office has been receiving emails from members who have been part of the struggle over the years and who wanted to share their feelings and concerns about what it all means to us as military families. Below are some of the statements we were allowed to share with you. We hope you will send your thoughts too so we can share them.

“It is long past time for the U.S. military role in Afghanistan to end. Military families who have been speaking out for many years to bring our troops home know that this move honors our troops – including those who died as a result of this ‘forever’ war – because continued death, including the deaths of increasing numbers of Afghan civilians, honors no one, and solves no problems. There is much that must happen now, including taking care of our troops coming home with visible and hidden injuries of war, and bringing about a new foreign policy that opposes these occupations and will not hinder the emergence of civilian voices, leaders and the forces who will ultimately bring justice and peace to their own country.”
Nancy Lessin, Co-founder, Military Families Speak Out

I am delighted to hear the news that we will bring home all troops from Afghanistan by Sept 11, 2021.  Our cries have been heard!  I hope that this will be the first of our troops matching home from all countries we have no business being in! I am cautiously optimistic that this will come to pass but I know the MIC is not happy about it. What shall be, shall be.
Diane Bremer
Mom of active duty son, Army
Red Wing, Minnesota

I feel tremendous relief that the troops are coming home from Afghanistan.  I also feel an overwhelming sadness for the men and women who served in Afghanistan; for those who did not come home, were injured (physically or mentally) or committed suicide.  I also feel great sadness for the huge losses and suffering the Afghan people endured and will continue to endure in their homeland destroyed by 20 years of war.

As the Afghanistan Papers confirmed, the military and the U.S. government knew early on that the Afghanistan War was a debacle and could not be won.  It didn’t understand Afghanistan nor did it have a strategy.  Yet, our government and military were unwilling to admit the Afghanistan war could not be won, damn the consequences.

These tragic decisions have destroyed people on all sides, for absolutely no gain.  This is shameful.  When will we learn that war and violence are not the path to a better world?
Mary Hladky, Mother of Army Infantry Officer who served 13 months, during Obama’s Surge, Zhari District, Kandahar Province

What a terrible and shameful tragedy – the war against Afghanistan. More than 2400 American troops and more than 38,000 Afghan civilians were killed. (NYTimes, 2019) There were many millions of war refugees. There were countless people injured. Moral injury, PTSD and other devastating impacts of war will persist. The poisoning of civilians and military from burn pits, the damage to the environment and people’s health has been horrendous. My heart goes out to other military families and Afghan families whose loved ones were killed or injured.  The costs were over $1.5 trillion dollars, not including money spent on medical and disability costs for veterans, all money that should have been spent instead in our communities for education, housing, health care, social services and other human needs. Shame on the elected officials who voted for this war and those who voted to continue funding the war. A salute to the millions of people who marched and demonstrated, lobbied and petitioned both to prevent the war in Afghanistan and to demand an end to the war. We will remain vigilant to make sure that not only the troops come home, but the contractors, the CIA, the Special Forces, must come home, too. We must make sure that absolutely no U.S. drones or other weapons of war will be used in Afghanistan.
Paula Rogovin, mother of an Iraq war veteran

It’s been 20 years now and it’s past time for our troops to come home. I have more faith in President Biden bringing the troops home than I did in the former president.  I believe President Biden will make a smooth transition and not make more problems for us. This is a start, but we need all the troops out of the Middle East.
Ed Garza, Former board member
Santa Ana CA

I am relieved that our troops are finally leaving Afghanistan after 20 years, but I’m concerned that we have not learned our lesson about the costs of starting and continuing wars of choice. We should have been out of Afghanistan shortly after we went in.  Delta Force spotted Osama Bin Laden leaving the mountain caves for Pakistan after the Battle of Tora Bora but was denied permission to take him out. That would have ended our involvement.

I am now concerned about the future of the Afghanis who helped US forces as translators, etc., and those who tried to bring democracy to Afghanistan.  I hope that President Biden will welcome them into the US as refugees as they will be in danger when the Taliban returns to power.

Our wars of choice have destroyed nations (Vietnam and Iraq) while bringing riches to the corporations that supply war. Tens of thousands of our troops have died or are injured from wounds seen or unseen, families have been destroyed. I hope we will not repeat these mistakes.
Anna Berlinrut, Mom of Marine deployed 8 times in harm’s way
Connecticut

I’m heartened by President Biden’s resolve to end the war in Afghanistan.  However,  I’ll believe it when I see it because other presidents like Bush, (“Mission Accomplished”), Obama and Trump,  promised before, but no one has brought them all home yet. But I’m hopeful he will follow through this time. As a military family member himself, I believe Biden really understands the toll war takes on our families more than the other presidents did . He knows what it’s like to wait and wonder. My daughter was injured when she was deployed and we had to wait so long to find out how she was. If you’ve been a military family member long enough you will do whatever it takes to find out how your loved one is.
Lorna Farnum
Daughter deployed to Kosovo
Hawaii

I have cautious optimism regarding brining our troops home.  It is past time, that is a worldwide truth.  I am holding my breath for every family and friend of a deployed troop.  The joy of thinking they will be home soon; is balance with the possibility of retaliation.  That is hell.  I grieve, I rejoice.
Corla Coles,
Mother in law of Active Duty Army Reserve
Redlands, CA

Oh God. I think it’s a good move and that it’s inevitable. I wonder, are we really getting out? It’s a win for the US, but a tragedy for the Afghani people. As inevitable as this is, it’s unavoidable.  Who would have thought that 9/11 would be the beginning of a 20 year war- America’s longest war that would cost $2 trillion, the lives of tens of thousands Afghans -3,502 NATO casualties  and over 2, 312 of our US troops. I remember when Bin Laden died, I was in NYC and people we jubilant. I was with them, and then I thought later that I never celebrated someone dying before.

Afghanistan has a corrupt government, there’s no real industry except opium. 70% of Afghans live on a dollar a day, there are few schools, their infrastructure is weak, electricity and water are erratic in the nation’s capital, and I fear women and girls are going to be the ones who will suffer the most. Where does the Taliban get their money? Why aren’t we talking about that? The pain is going to come, but what can you say? You can’t police the whole world, but if we haven’t fixed this in 20 years, we never are going to fix it.  After 20 years of presidents saying we’re getting out, the US has no credibility. I’ll believe it when I see it. This announcement is dredging up a lot of emotions right now for veterans and military families.
Don Kimball,
Uncle to Active Duty Marine and veteran
South Portland, ME

As military families whose loved ones/children have been in Afghanistan, we welcome the news that our troops are coming home. We hope that this is just the beginning of troop withdrawals from the Middle East and other countries where we have participated in unjust wars. These wars have endangered the lives of our children and haven’t done anything to protect us.
Rossana Cambron
Mother of action duty Army
Los Angeles, CA

Troops Home Now?

Editorials from MFSO members:
By Al Glatkowski

We won’t go back to normal, because normal was the problem.
Hi, Al Glatkowski here, VVAW-OSS/VFP/MFSO, back home and checking in from my town in North Carolina.  We are all hoping that each of our families in MFSO are safe, well, and practicing “Social Distancing.”  Having recently returned from Belize, CA (when I left, the only country to not have any Covid-19 cases), I was fortunate to drive back through both Belize and Mexico with no challenges and into a new reality here stateside.  I followed the news while traveling but still actually entered a new world ~ so to speak ~ upon my return home and quarantine for just a bit over two weeks.  With time on our hands, Cindy and I began to weed the gardens, both flowers and veggies.  Cindy jokingly referred to our organic “Victory Garden” as a way to supplement our fare.  A good thing considering the recent reports of lack of workers to harvest farm produce.  I have always been proud to use the words”Victory Garden,” as it has been a staple of my family even before my birth.  Link

I co-Admin several FaceBook pages and quickly tried to catch up on a lot of what I missed out on.  What struck me hard in the face was the word “WAR” and how easily it was being bantered about and now ceaselessly used to describe the actions and preventative measures to deal with a Pandemic.  Interestingly the word Pandemic comes from the Greek ~ Pan “all, and Demos. “people or population,” or all people.  The word “War” to describe this “Pandemic” is a good metaphor, particularly for a national leader who has no understanding of war outside of his narcissistic need to overwhelm his opponents, gaslight the gullible, and prove his value to the top 1%.  Let’s see, how many “Wars” do we have here in the US?  War on Poverty (a joke), War on Drugs (questionable at best), and others I am certain.  The con-man is the “War President” now, eagerly and clearly getting and keeping us all toeing the line.  Oh, and how easily many of us have fallen for this new “War.”

I made the effort to keep in communication with other activists while abroad and during my rests stops.  I traveled with a 12-volt cooler, my own water, a cardboard box of non-perishable food, hand sanitizer wipes, toilet paper and bottled coffee, most all purchased in Belize before I began my 8 day journey, and slept in my pickup as much as possible.  All was worth its weight in gold I later found out.  Belize closed its last border the day I left, and the International Airport the next.  It was an interesting journey.  While little Belize was awaiting the arrival of Cuban assistance, doctors and nurses, had already been testing people in different parts of the country, (yes they have it there and have already lost several citizens), but life went on along the small back roads, and the occasional toll highways, I traveled back to the states through Mexico.  Crossing the US border was never so easy.  On my road trip back I could see each state’s visible reaction to the virus: one could see from the Interstate that Texas had closed their malls by the time I got there (and Texans love their malls!); Louisiana wasn’t yet so tight; Mississippi was a blur other than sleeping for a hour or two at rest stops; Alabama? Another blur; the governor of Georgia was still defiant; South Carolina was closed; and so was North Carolina.  I am glad I reached out to folks along the drive.

If we’re not doing something now, then we are doing something wrong.  After I got home, I quickly discovered that people are finding ways to keep up with their activism.  I immediately signed up for different webinars being offered by groups I follow on FaceBook and through other means of communication.  I have reached out to be on zoom calls, Jitsi calls, etc.  The first thing I realized is that we must step up and figure out alternative ways of doing active resistance against the wars.  We can no longer do things in the same way we did before.  It is complicated, but we are now required to think outside of our box, outside of our normal parameters.  I have learned of one group that organized a rolling caravan for immigration rights of the detainees, a clever way to stay safe and still get their message out.  Other actions I have learned of included issue-related online cocktail hour discussions; warrior writers projects online groups in NJ with Paula and Jan; post card campaigns; and yes, some of our veteran brothers and sisters are out on the frontlines bringing food and medical care to those in need, particularly the homeless, hungry and elderly.  Other groups, just like the MFSO board, are meeting online to reflect, share and brainstorm ideas on how to have the greatest impact during this shutdown.

While we continue to get disappointing news that so many long planned events by our allies have or are being cancelled, (VFP annual convention in Albuquerque, Poor People’s Campaign in DC, 50th anniversary of Kent State), what can we do?  SHARE, SHARE,SHARE!  Share everything you think someone needs to know about online!  HASHTAG (#EndTheWarsNow!) your anti-war postings or any post for that matter.  Seriously reflect on your own actions and begin to grow outside of the box!  If you share only with like-minded people maybe now is the time to expand the horizon.  I don’t expect many will pick fruit and vegetables for the wages that have been normally paid to non-union farmworkers: I now call my garden the “Victory Garden over Capitalism.”  Take a risk.  Learn how to Zoom or Jitsi or GoTo Meeting.  Many offer free access for limited size meetings.  Inspire others and then do it again.  Eight or nine days ago I made the decision to daily call 5 friends, just to check in with them, discuss what’s happening in their lives and areas and to share things from my side of the country, but I did so all along my drive as well.  It’s a Pandemic, a public health Pandemic, I don’t need the con-man’s “War.”


Al Glatkowski, and his wife Cindy live in a coastal community in N. Carolina. They have had two sons in the military, one a Gulf War Navy Veteran and the other an active duty Army officer an former Blackhawk Army  pilot that was deployed to Afghanistan twice. Al was a Merchant Marine in Vietnam in 1967, and continues to be an antiwar activist.

In the News:

Military fights virus on two fronts  As the Pentagon deploys hospital ships, it shifts plans after dozens of sailors are infected.  It already has canceled or reduced several large-scale training exercises, halted the movement of troops overseas and domestically, confined the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt to port in Guam after an outbreak aboard the warship, and shuttered many of its recruiting offices around the country.  Link to story

U.S. threatens to cut aid as Afghan talks teeter  Kabul government risks losing $2 billion unless it negotiates with the Taliban.  Link to story

US-Led Forces Pull Out of 3rd Iraqi Base this Month  The K1 Air Base is the third site coalition forces have left this month, in line with U.S. plans to consolidate its troops in two locations in Iraq.  Link to story

Swing state Republicans back U.S. troop pullout from Middle East  A new poll shows that supporters of President Trump in the key battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin strongly support bringing U.S. troops home from the Middle East. The Tarrance Group poll found a majority and often supermajority support for pulling troops out of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, as well as the recent Afghan peace deal and pursuing diplomacy instead of military conflict with Iran.  https://bringourtroopshome.us/polls

Taliban, US commander discuss violence reduction in Afghanistan  The commander of US forces in Afghanistan has met Taliban leadership in Doha to discuss the need to reduce violence in the war-torn country, which threatens to derail a fragile peace process,  Link to story

Probably the closest the US Navy has come to a mutiny  Captain Crozier was fired after a leak of a letter he had emailed to Navy leaders detailing the service’s failures in dealing with a coronavirus outbreak on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt.  Link to story

Note: The opinions reflected above and in future editorials are not a reflection of  any official stance approved by the MFSO board, which meets monthly and posts official positions decided by the board on our website. Your responses and opinions are welcome. If you would like to send your own editorial on any MFSO related issue, please send to mfsooc@earthlink.net