In the recent presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris made a clearly erroneous claim: “As of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is on active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world, the first time this century.” Deployed military members almost immediately and somewhat hilariously fact-checked her comments real-time in a now viral video.
More ominously, on Tuesday, Representative Jim Banks shared a harrowing video taken recently of American soldiers under fire in the Middle East. Americans are not only deployed in active combat zones all over the world, but this year alone, seven have been killed or wounded while stationed there. This administration continues a pattern of incompetence and indifference to deployed American servicemembers.
It's ironically fitting that on the same day the nation mourned the 9/11 anniversary, White House communications advisor John Kirby, sent a “reply all” email to staffers that also included Fox News Digital. In this email, Kirby stated there was no use in responding to the concerns of military veterans “of one stripe” seeking answers about the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.
His dismissive attitude demonstrates exactly why veterans will not let this issue die. Veterans who fought in these wars and the families of those who never came home deserve these answers and leadership accountability.
Veterans take seriously the phrase nemo resideo, “leave no one behind.” Common in the military vernacular, this idea is prominently featured in the Soldier’s Creed and the Airman’s Creed. It is drilled into every service member from their first day of basic training until their last day on duty.
Nemo resideo applies not only to the 13 ground combatants killed at Abbey Gate, but the over 7,000 U.S. service members who died after 9/11 in worldwide operations. It also applies to the thousands of Afghanis who served allied forces as interpreters or in other support positions but were abandoned while awaiting Special Immigrant Visas.
The concept of nemo resideo also applies more broadly to the suffering population of Afghanistan. Americans sacrificed much blood and treasure only to turn the nation back over to the Taliban and their ongoing human rights abuses, including 70 decrees specifically undermining women.
It won’t be long until that mayhem is once again exported worldwide. Many pundits argue that if it was the right decision to go into Afghanistan in the first place, then once committed, the war should have been fought to victory. The idea is simple: don’t join wars you don’t plan to win.
Veterans, by and large, understand the fog of war. We know that mistakes are made in combat that cost lives. Veterans learn that a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Guardian must persist through setbacks by taking accountability and renewing effort.
Veterans understand the politics of war and how both sides of the political aisle will blame each other for combat failures, a reality of strategy as old as war itself. We are as politically diverse as the nation from which we derive. However, we overcome those political differences and fight shoulder to shoulder in the spirit of nemo resideo.
The nation must do the same. It’s time for national leaders to take accountability for the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal and assign responsibility. Trump was right to honor the recent Abbey Gate anniversary by laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. However, we need to take that idea one step further and explain who was responsible and how we’ll ensure a strategic failure of this magnitude never happens again.
Kirby’s dismissive comment, even if meant for a private audience, belies a corrupt attitude toward national tragedy and strategic failure. When leaders think this way, the nation cannot heal, so veterans and others will continue to demand answers and seek accountability. Indeed, the failure of the current administration to do this has grown into a significant political liability for the Democrats going into the November election.
Nemo resideo demands that U.S. political and military leadership take accountability for the Afghanistan withdrawal and acknowledge our sons and daughters who are now living every day in harm’s way. VP Harris should have known better since she is trying to convince American voters that she could be a competent commander in chief. Kirby’s attitude mirrors the inherent dismissiveness of the military and veterans that characterizes the current executive branch.
Dr. David Murphy is the Dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Colorado Christian University. A retired Air Force Colonel, he served 25 years, including flying the F-16 with over 2,300 flight hours and 274 combat hours. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Philosophy from Dallas Baptist University and is a fellow at the Centennial Institute.