The criticisms of America’s handling of the total pull-out from Afghanistan is continuing to flood the airways and come into the White House. Criticism is arriving from all sectors including even Democratic politicians and supporters. Republican upset with the way the U.S. conducted what it called “retrograde” operations (and caused allies like the U.K.) to get out of Afghanistan were to be expected. And we have heard from Jen Psaki (White House Press Secretary) and other Biden folks that ratings for Presidents new to office are often low. However, something seems to be not going well in American politics.
No one is saying that Ukraine and Afghanistan are similar. One country is developed with a committed, working government and a history which has tilted in the last few years from East to West. The other country is perhaps the world’s greatest example of failure to effectively govern resulting in chaos for all – and a desire of its citizens to get out of the country any way one can. It is sad and disappointing that it took so long (20 years) and cost so much treasure (in money and lives and injuries) for us to learn the hard way that nobody has ever uncovered the secret of conquering and governing Afghanistan.
And so, now we worry about Ukraine (not that caring people don’t worry and care about what the future may hold for the people of Afghanistan – under the Taliban). While the countries are so different, the U.S. and the so-called West including NATO, are facing real possibilities of war in Europe and a rippling effect and the need to get its citizens and even diplomatic staff and military advisors out.
Unless the Western allies are being sold (very effectively) a bill of goods by Putin, the current situation on the Russia/Ukraine border in Europe is now the greatest crisis in the world. War in Europe, if it happens, will not be a war with the Taliban or ISIS on the other side, it will be against one of the most formidable and largest militaries in the world. It is certain to effect many beyond the borders of Russia and Ukraine.
As we “go to press” with this issue of the Newsletter, the world awaits with bated breath as to what might happen – and President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken in the U.S. have called for Americans to leave Ukraine. Many other countries have also called for their citizens and diplomats to leave.
The big question confronting us all if we should leave is: will the evacuation (sic “retrograde”) be done in a more efficient and better way than the U.S. did in Afghanistan? While the U.S. has not, to our lay knowledge, engaged in military operations in Ukraine, many (reports are that at least two-thirds) of the locals support association with the West/NATO. Should we get them out? Can we get them out? Or, will they end up being like the thousands of Afghans that we just left high and dry to fend for themselves.
The February 2022 Murphy-ism:
"When the United States comes up with a decision in a world crisis, if it can go wrong, it will. The next question is: how wrong will it be? And, trying to correct the wrong, do we make it better – or worse."
AFGHANISTAN – A SAD UPDATE
Almost no day goes by when we hear bad things from Afghanistan. People are starving. Many people seek shelter from harsh elements. The so-called leadership cannot control the disappearances and killings perpetuated by lower ranking Taliban soldiers who seek to punish or attempt to get-even with anyone who, in their view, helped those forces trying to bring decent society and basic human rights (including women and girls) to Afghanistan. The government, at least as it is called, in Afghanistan is clearly not in control as to what happens there – and the rest of the world doesn’t seem to care much. We need to remember the words of the late General Colin Powell: if we break something any place in the world, we own the problem and then we need to fix it. Perhaps we did try in Afghanistan, but there are many Americans and people in the rest of the world who think the only things we left were a lot of facilities and supplies. The huge pull-out resulted in probably the largest and quickest air evacuation the world has ever witnessed.
LALO PUBLISHING BOOK NEWS
Sales of Todd Denick’s book about his own experience of sepsis, his survival, the impact on his family and continuing post – sepsis treatments: IT WILL COME: Alaskan Adventures Pale in Comparison to Surviving Sepsis continue in America, the U.K. and continental Europe. Todd now resides in Germany with his family and help European sales. The book is now available in paperback on Amazon and as an e-book from Kindle. At Lalo Publishing, we are currently in pre-production of Amy Donaho Howell’s new book: SPOTLIGHT ON SEPSIS: A Guide for Families, Patients, Caregivers and Healthcare Providers. This book will be an update of her successful book HEALING IN HIGH GEAR. Amy is very committed (as are Todd and Lalo) to increase awareness of the life-threatening medical condition of sepsis. Thanks to Amy’s emphatic intervention, her husband is a sepsis survivor. We expect to have the new Amy Howell book ready for sale well in advance of Sepsis Awareness Month (September). Lalo Publishing is also in negotiations to acquire and publish several new books as it establishes itself as the non-medical “publisher of choice” for sepsis and other medical and health conditions such as coma, PTS, and post-ICU syndrome. Lalo Publishing is looking to increase staff and capability as the company grows and product lines expand in the near future.
