Hard to believe that in less than one month we will honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. It’s been ten years already.  Few would have predicted a decade ago that we’d still have troops in Afghanistan. Just last week we experienced the single deadliest loss for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001, 30 service members sacrificed their lives when insurgents are believed to have shot down their helicopter.

These tragic news headlines led to a recent conversation pertaining to why we have U.S. Troops in Afghanistan. I am reposting part of it here because it’s important that all Americans understand why our troops are there fighting. The question was asked by a U.S. Citizen who does not agree with or who does not understand exactly why our men and women of the Armed Forces are in the Middle East. I am keeping the questioner’s identity anonymous, because I suspect this person is not the only one who holds these views, nor do I see any point in calling out any individual.

The responses you see below are provided by Kent R. Jones, President and CEO of Defensive Countermeasures Institute, LLC. His personal security expertise is derived from over 35 years combined military and federal government service spanning five continents. He is also a veteran of US Special Operations.

Q: Can someone remind me why we are in Afghanistan?

Jones:  [Name] with all due respect, Al Qaeda used training bases in Taliban controlled Afghanistan to launch the 9-11 terror attacks. Coalition forces continue to fight to deny return to power of the Taliban, and support a fledgling democracy under Afghan President Karzai. It is a sad day, but the troopers who lost their lives Saturday knew what they were fighting for – their lives were not lost in vain.

Q: Our country needs to get its head out of its ass! I will always support our troops no matter where our screwed up government sends them.

Jones: I have not called into question your support of the troops. I commented directly with a reminder of the reason we are still in Afghanistan. Your suggestion that our country “has its head up its ass” is far too narrow as a viewpoint. I fail to see the implied correlation between misguided foreign policy and the selfless sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. We live in a Democracy. Soldiers do not send themselves to war…their elected officials do. Voters—and presumably you exercise this right— have a civil responsibility to become educated with a broad range of universal issues and recognize that actions at the ballot box have far reaching consequences, often affecting the lives of Patriots standing watch over the Republic.

Saturday’s tragic loss of US military lives is a blunt reminder of the only tangible American debt—that is the debt owed these brave men and others who have given their lives in defense of freedom. Do you really want to know, “why are we there?” The answer is quite clear. “Because you choose to live free, and that is only made possible by the men and women of the Armed Forces.” You and every other freedom loving American are the reason why we are still there.

To truly support the troops you have to have a full understanding of why we fight. Freedom is not free. It comes at a high price in blood and treasure. Being unclear on why we are there offers nothing toward the debt owed our service men and women. They deserve better.

That pretty much sums it up, wrapped in a bow. No fancy closing needed by me.  If you had any question why we are in Afghanistan, I trust now you have a better understanding.

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.  ~Cynthia Ozick