Let’s take a look at what America’s longest war has cost.
According to Associated Press numbers, more than 120,000 U.S. service members, contractors, Afghan military police, service members from other allied countries, Afghan civilians, aid workers and journalists lost their lives. In addition, there’s the $2 trillion we spent over the past 20 years in Afghanistan, only to see that country return to just about where it was two decades ago. That money was borrowed, so don’t forget interest payments.
Oh, and per the New York Times, while Osama bin Laden is dead and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan was crushed, that nation’s opium production has quadrupled. CNBC quoted Afghan Peace Negotiation Team member Nader Nadery as saying, “the slogan now of every single terrorist group with the jihadist mind is ‘now that we have defeated the United States and its 42 allies in Afghanistan, we can go after them anywhere’.”
Can we finally agree that there’s not a military solution to every problem?
For more commentary on the latest news be sure to visit our editorial cartoon page that hosts a bevy of cartoon galleries produced by artists from across the USA TODAY Network on topics ranging from the 2020 presidential election to race in America, COVID-19 and pop culture and a gallery of Thompson’s animated cartoons. Check back often for updates.
We update our galleries regularly. And we’ll swap them onto this page so you can enjoy the most recent additions to our collection as they come. Check back often!
Follow Mike Thompson’s cartoons and commentary on Facebook by clicking here and on Twitter by clicking here.
The post The Taliban, Afghanistan have lessons for the US: Mike Thompson toon appeared first on The News Amed.