End of an Error

It took 20 years, cost the lives of thousands of Americans and Afghans along with countless trillions of dollars, but as of today, it is in the rearview mirror.  The Endless War has in fact, come to an end. That end came with a torrent of turmoil, angst, fingerpointing, and even more American lives lost as the final hours were being counted down. 

Debates over how it was handled and who shoulders the blame for all of the miscalculations and deadly decisions will rage for a long time. While there will be lots of noise in the coming days, ultimately it will be for historians to unravel, decipher, and put into context.  There is no denying that the historic Air Bridge that shuttled over 160,000 people out of Afghanistan is a logistical feat never before seen.

Robin Biro, an Army Ranger who served two tours in Afghanistan, is joined by Christopher Purdy, a fellow veteran who now serves as Director of Veterans for American Ideals. Together they discuss the frantic final days and the remarkable impact VFAI had in getting well over 500 people into their underground system, through the maze of red tape and security, and onto the tarmac to be flown to safety.  Their lives and, potentially, the lives of tens of thousands of others identified by Christopher and the team at VFAI who transmitted the information to officials on the ground, are now free of the terror that grips the land.