McConnell’s stance on Afghanistan brings shame to Kentucky, the nation

President Biden announced that he would withdraw US troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021. The country overwhelmingly supports this decision. We have been their for 20 years. We have spent $2 trillion in Afghanistan. We have lost over 2,300 troops; there are thousands more who have returned home with both physical and mental wounds. The number of civilians killed is in the thousands and we’ve turned millions into refugees.

Unfortunately, ending a war today in a D.C. besieged by special interests and weapons manufacturers, arms dealers, lobbyists, chicken-hawks and armchair generals is difficult. The Washington Post said that “History will cast a shadow over Biden’s plan to withdraw from Afghanistan.” Senator Graham said: “A full withdrawal from Afghanistan is dumber than dirt.” Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen was “very disappointed” in the decision. And sadly, Kentucky’s Senator Mitch McConnell is opposed to ending this war. He has never offered a peace plan or a reasonable withdrawal plan, he only knows he wants to stay. The people of Kentucky realize what’s happening on the world stage and McConnell’s representation in prolonging this war shames us all. Several of McConnell’s statements were of particular note and I feel Kentuckians should consider what motivates Mitch to support this war.

“Precipitously withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan is a grave mistake.”

How can McConnell say ending a war we have been in for 20 long years is too quick? Has he ever offered a peace plan that includes withdrawal? I believe he would leave our troops there indefinitely. The ‘grave mistake’ was staying for 20 years, as that is all that has been produced, graves. Graves with the best young Americans in them. Graves with Afghanistan civilians in them; men, women, children, and babies. How many graves must we dig before McConnell would not call it a grave mistake?

“The Biden administration plans to turn tail and abandon the fight in Afghanistan.”

How dare Mitch McConnell say we are abandoning the fight in Afghanistan! Our troops do not abandon. We are thankful for their service and sacrifice and proud of them. The move that actually supports the troops would be to bring them home, return them to their families who miss them.

“It is a retreat in the face of an enemy that has not yet been vanquished.”

Again, how dare Mitch McConnell refer to bringing US troops home as a retreat. These men do not retreat and this is not a retreat. Peace is not retreat.

“Foreign terrorists will not leave the United States alone simply because our politicians have grown tired of taking the fight to them.”

McConnell is saying that if we leave Afghanistan will be a hotbed for terrorism. He is trying to scare the American people and it is disgusting. How many more terrorists does he think our 20 years of occupation has created? Does he not realize that we will create less terrorists by not occupying this nation? An entire generation of Afghanistan has been raised under the oppressive occupation. Also, our politicians are not tired of taking the fight because it is not our politicians who do the fighting. McConnell disrespects our troops with this statement and insults the intelligence of all listening.

I’d note that Biden’s son, Beau, now deceased, served overseas in our Middle East wars in Iraq. President Biden has arranged for peace in Afghanistan. McConnel’s three daughters, as you may have guessed, have not served overseas in our wars. Neither have Pelosi’s children served in our military. Obama’s daughters do not serve. George W. Bush’s two girls never wore the uniform. Cheney’s kids never served either and one of them is in Congress today championing more war. Chelsea Clinton also never wore the nation’s uniform. It’s interesting that all of the loudest voices for more war have children that will not risk their lives in our military, and yet President Biden had a son in combat and now he is bringing peace to Afghanistan.

McConnell has supported this war for 20 years, and he has always vigorously opposed bringing the troops home. He has never offered his own plan to bring peace. It’s clear that McConnell wants the war in Afghanistan to continue in perpetuity. That is an impractical, insane, un-American position to hold and although I do not know if they are connected, the military industrial complex would want the same. McConnell shames our troops and their sacrifice, McConnell shames the Commonwealth, McConnell shames this great nation.

Brad Penley is a writer in London, Ky.