Compass Points - Abbey Gate
Protect the lights of liberty
Compass Points - Abbey Gate
Protect the lights of liberty
August 26, 2024
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Today is the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. On that day, August 26, 2021, 13 US military died in the suicide bombing. The fatalities included 11 Marines, 1 Army, and 1 Navy Corpsman. They died protecting the lights of liberty.
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Marine Lance Cpl. David Lee Espinoza
Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum
Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola
Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui
Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz
Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez
Marine Cpl. Humberto Sanchez
Marine Cpl. Daegan William-Tyeler Page
Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee
Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo
Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover
Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss
Navy Hospitalman Maxton “Max” Soviak
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When the bombing took place, August 26, 2021, the US military had been in Afghanistan for years working to provide a window of opportunity for Afghans to secure greater freedom, opportunity, and self-determination. Once the United States pulled out of Afghanistan three years ago, the Taliban reclaimed control, and the window of freedom closed. This week, nearly to the day of the Abbey Gate bombing, the Taliban issued a new edict:
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ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban’s new vice and virtue laws that include a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public provide a “distressing vision” for Afghanistan’s future, a top U.N. official warned Sunday.
Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the U.N. mission in the country, said the laws extend the “ already intolerable restrictions ” on the rights of women and girls, with “even the sound of a female voice” outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation.
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers last Wednesday issued the country’s first set of laws to prevent vice and promote virtue. They include a requirement for a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home.
The laws empower the Vice and Virtue Ministry to be at the front line of regulating personal conduct and administering punishments like warnings or arrest if its enforcers allege that Afghans have broken the laws.
“After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one,” Otunbayeva said.
-- Military.com
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More than 100 years ago, Sir Edward Grey made his famous quote: "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."
Three years ago, 13 Americans went to Afghanistan, not to conquer, but to risk their lives to help strangers. The goal had always been to allow Afghan women and men the chance to walk in greater freedom and peace, with their heads held high, pursuing their own dreams.
Gold Star families and survivors of the Abbey Gate bombing gathered today for a solemn memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery. A wreath was laid, and taps was played to honor those who were killed.
Separately, a few senior government officials issued statements.
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President's statement: "Today, and every day, we honor our fallen"
Vice President's statement: "Today and everyday, I mourn and honor them."
SecDef's statement: "We will never forget these 13 brave Americans"
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Despite their well-crafted statements, none of the three senior government officials took time to attend the Arlington ceremony and wreath laying. Press coverage was minimal. The Hill provided one brief article about the ceremony and attendees. The Gold Star families do not need official statements about the cost of freedom. The Gold Star families, including those who attended the Arlington National Cemetery ceremony, know the true cost of freedom. The cost is the lives of young Marines and others who never get to grow up and never get to grow old.
In his inaugural address John F. Kennedy said, "we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty." Those are powerful words, but too much of the burden and too much of the price falls on the Gold Star families. Three years ago at the Abbey Gate bombing at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, 13 American military were killed. They died protecting the lights of liberty. The lights of liberty have now gone out for a time in Afghanistan. It will be years until those lights are turned back on. But the larger, worldwide struggle for liberty continues.
Marines go and fight for liberty. The fight for liberty is a struggle that never ends. Fortunately, the honor and courage of Marines never ends. That is why,
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If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By the Abbey Gate Marines.
-- Marines' Hymn, excerpt
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The Hill - 08/26/2024
Trump visits Arlington Cemetery to mark Afghanistan withdrawal anniversary
By Brett Samuels
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4847537-trump-arlington-cemetery-afghanistan-anniversary/
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CNN - 04/24/2024
Exclusive: New evidence challenges the Pentagon’s account of a horrific attack as the US withdrew from Afghanistan
By Nick Paton Walsh and Mick Krever, CNN. Video by Mark Baron and Christian Streib, CNN.
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Task and Purpose - 04/28/2921
These are the 13 American military service members killed in Kabul
By David Roza, Paul Szoldra
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marines-killed-afghanistan-kabul-airport-names/
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Military.com - 08/25/2024
Taliban Vice and Virtue Laws Provide 'Distressing Vision' for Afghanistan, Warns UN Envoy
By Associated Press
I have a hard time responding to this A through Z fiasco without my emotions getting the better of me.
As some of you know I only believe in very selective nation building missions. I do not support any nation building effort where the cultural, religious and modernity gap is simply too large. I support Punitive Expeditions of limited duration when nations, regions or tribes have transgressed to the point where extreme violence is required to destroy the enemy and depart. Afghanistan was for me a classic case of the need to destroy the enemy, their resources and their institutions and leave them in the flames and rubble pile they brought on themselves.
Our naive, clueless and incompetent leaders thought otherwise. For this they will face no consequences. Setting aside why we were there, the focus must be on the actual decisions of how to withdraw.
Since we chose the bad strategic option we were left with the operational decisions to execute a withdrawal. That was a disaster for a hundred reasons I could list in great detail. Our “Leadership” revealed themselves as incompetent, apathetic, ignorant, irresponsible and lacking a shred of character. The casualty toll was not just Abbey Gate but the tens of thousand who fought there and those who died there.
Our great Republic has a fundamental flaw with the very concept of accountability. We just do not know how to hold individuals accountable. I know how, but it does not fit our view of ourselves. Sooner or later accountability must become a part of the lexicon again or our future will become increasingly bleak.
Once again, it is important to this writer’s mind that as CP requested we remain apolitical here. Vote one’s conscience, but hold your franchise dear. Read that as “I don’t and shouldn’t know how anyone votes.” It doesn’t matter whether democrat, republican or independent, the simple facts are the “leadership” both civilian and military has failed spectacularly over the last 20 years and we have a shambles of a military at the moment. That said, It is well to honor in our hearts and minds these last 13 fallen warriors. So thanks CP for this post. Today of all days seems especially hard. I didn’t know them, or their families, but I knew them! We all served with them, we miss their smiles, they heard their country calling and answered, and since they are just part of the 1% serving their deaths seem all the more tormenting. To this day the Centcom commander at the time, has refused to take any meaningful responsibility for the disastrous NEO at HKIA, he’s written a book, has a swell civilian job and is quite the talking head on legacy media news outlets. Imagine a US Marine Corps Four Star General so lacking in self awareness and frankly any shred of dignity, that he basically blames everyone but himself. Talk about a point counterpoint. We leave Kabul in the dark, a region shredded by our failed nation building and 13 flag draped metal caskets as the exclamation point on the whole affair. It’s very very difficult not be very angry. So taking the high road, honor the fallen, work towards reconstituting our Marine Corps and do so in a positive in a way, the other options are just too bitter a pill to swallow. Making sure we have a Corps and a damn strong one with a hard ass MAGTF to do just what Douglas Rape’ is suggesting, seems the best way to carry the message forward. “Never again!”