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Hello John,
I wanted to take this time to share my views with you on today's heinous terrorist attack in Afghanistan.
As I am writing this, we do not yet know who is responsible and the full details of the casualties and injuries from both Afghan citizens and the Afghan refugees.
What we do know, however, is that two explosions took place in Kabul airport, and four U.S. Marines were killed in an explosion at the city’s airport, with an additional three wounded. We will keep monitoring as the situation develops, but this is an incredibly difficult time for our service members as well as the Afghan people. It is impossible to overstate how devastating this must be.
Meanwhile, over 100,000 Afghanis and US Citizens have been safely evacuated -- a herculean effort that seems to have slipped the headlines.
This is incredibly important to mention, because we have to push back against the narrative that pulling out of Afghanistan was a bad foreign policy decision. Did the process start off shaky? Absolutely. The President of the United States and our Commander and Chief went on national television, looked us in the eye, and told us so.
He also unequivocally stated that the United States is committed to evacuating every single US citizen and ally who aided us in any way during our time in Afghanistan in addition to their families. I firmly believe that the United States military is the finest organization in the world and when we’re given a mission, we accomplish it!
On a more positive note, I do have some good news to share regarding my friends and personal translators, since so many of you have been so kindly asking and writing lovely notes, which I do appreciate. They, as well as their families, have been safely evacuated and are now awaiting processing in Kuwait and Bahrain! This is excellent news and a huge relief!
I know we have quite a few more left, and I give you my word that I will continue working as hard as I can to help as many as I can.
I would like for everyone to pray for our troops, and the good innocent people of Afghanistan who are caught in the middle of all this. I would also like for you to speak up -- especially on social media and back the President’s decision to stop engaging in further bloodshed and waste American lives and taxpayer dollars to profit military contractors.
This war needs to come to an end.
I'm a soldier. I’m someone who has seen combat first hand, and let me tell you, war is brutal in every element of it, including the way it ends.
Let’s keep our thoughts with our service members, the Afghan people, and the families of all those we’ve lost. Let’s hope and pray for better days ahead. I will provide you with updates as we find out more information.
Sappers clear the way, Airborne all the way.
Retired Major Richard Ojeda
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