Guard Duty After the Afghan Deluge

U.S. Commander of Central Command, Gen. Tommy Franks (L) is greeted by Task Force Rakkasan Commander Col. Francis Wiercinski (C) on May 15, 2002 at Kandahar airbase in southern Afghanistan. Franks stopped at the base to personally address the troops deployed there as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Scott Nelson/Getty Images

Commentary

As the Biden administration withdraws U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan, the prevailing media headline declares, with panicked certainty, that America has failed and suffered a strategic defeat. All is lost out there. Trillions of taxpayer dollars were squandered. Our killed and wounded in action suffered in vain. Etcetera.