Letters to the Editor: Afghanistan is a quagmire. Trump is right to cut our losses now

To the editor: The war in Afghanistan has lasted nearly two decades, been overseen by three American presidents, cost more than $2 trillion and resulted in more than 22,000 U.S. casualties. Our troops are placed in the untenable position of fighting in a country during a civil war. (“Trump’s pullout from Afghanistan is rushed and self-serving,” editorial, Nov. 18)

Your editorial states the U.S. has 4,500 servicemembers training, advising and assisting Afghan forces. It says the incoming Biden administration should decide troop levels in Afghanistan, not the outgoing Trump administration.

One could reasonably state that after nearly 20 years and $2 trillion, the Afghans are not learning from us or, as the adage goes, their country is indeed where empires go to die. The leadership of a new administration will not change that.

Michael Rubino, San Pedro

..

To the editor: I congratulate President Trump on fulfilling his campaign promise to reduce our troop strength in Iraq and Afghanistan, even if President-elect Joe Biden has to pick up the pieces of this last-minute, unilateral strategy.

Now he can turn his attention to fulfilling another campaign promise he made and pay off the national debt. He said it would be easy, so now he has to show us.

Trump has just enough time left to make a pair of $14-trillion monthly payments. Perhaps his base can chip in to preserve his reputation as a rock-ribbed truth-teller.

Bruce Strathdee, Palm Springs