Soon…just like the Vietnam Memorial….WWI and WWII Memorial…Windows of the World looking for missing persons (9/11). Commander-in-Chief, Comforter-in-Chief, Consoler-in-Chief…
The world inflicted pain on the US; the US rightfully struck back, or has been up until now (July 9th, 2021). a long knee-jerk reaction.
We are more united in grief.
More determined for closure, for justice, for war than for peace and harmony.
The cowboy riding into the sunset.
(After Django had massacred the whole town full of bad dudes).
Except this time, 20 years later, the bad guys grow heads and beards…like Jason of Friday the 13th.
Too many of them. They just switch sides, pick up abandoned weapons and turned (Taliban).
With financial help from our own habit – addicted to oil and ammunition/PX supplies (from our tax dollars).
War without end.
Arlington Memorial without space.
Names of the missing, the dead, and the near-dead.
In 20-year time, we have all lived through the disintegration of a once-united nation (9/12).
9/11 triggered deep fear and reaction: that the world is both envious and empathising with America.
After all, it’s an idea, an experiment and a New World. An imagination, conceived by Disney and Hollywood.
Of what’s it’s like to live free, to speak free and to die free.
From sea to shining sea.
A city on the hill.
A Twin-Tower collapse then rebuilt. Stronger and more resilient.
Not just architecturally, but with agility.
No central command, but distributed, like the Internet.
More groundswell from Ground Zero.
More ghost work, less ghost war.
American troops are coming home. Contractors are coming home.
Afghan allies are also applying for visas, seeking new homes.
Second-hand clothing, second-language instructions.
New beginnings, new starts.
New Memorial erected. Memory not forgotten.
At least we’ve got the right Comforter-in-Chief to bookend America’s longest war, not necessarily the most successful one.
Things have a way to fizzle out, like an opened bottle of Champagne. An AA flight that cast a quick shadow right before its own oblivion, taking thousands with it.
Lifetimes of struggle, striving and saving.
World without end, but war must end.
Everything has its time, fullness of time.
Peaks and valleys, anger and resolve, beginning and end of war (on terror).
He who is wise knows his range, his time, and his limits.
There will always be a tomorrow, to re-stage one’s battle, to fight another day.
Afghan Memorial, our Memorial: Focus on the Future from Ground Zero.
Look for the missing, but also those missing pieces that constitute humanity: warmth, helpfulness, empathy and compassion. Life is full of known knowns, yet we chose to spend our prime years on Unknown Unknowns.
Friendship, love, nature, arts, excellence in entrepreneurship and leadership, faith, charity, mentorship, coaching, tutoring etc…unpaid volunteerism, donation and advocacy….the list keeps growing – unattended to still, while we were away on multi-tours ; only to come home, races run, passion spent; emotionally wrecked, weary and wounded.
From Arlington Memorial on out, we squandered our emotional currency and good-will capital to buy time for the Talibans of the world – emboldened them in their recruit and resolve.
Structurally and by nature, something just isn’t compatible. And we just have to leave it at that. Justice served.
P.S. sorry, no Hollywood Happy Ending.
Thang Nguyen 555 