HOW COULD U.S. HAVE BEEN SO UNPREPARED?

So much can change in a few hours. Just over a week ago, the signs were worrying, with U.S. embassy staff in Afghanistan destroying documents, 3,000 U.S. troops being sent back to Kabul, and the Taliban claiming more territory. Everyone insisted Kabul would be fine, for at least a while. But by last Sunday, the Taliban had entered Kabul and taken over the presidential palace.

It is hard to fathom how our government was seemingly caught so unprepared. While the pullout of American forces has been an embarrassment for the U.S., it has more importantly laid bare the chaos and devastation that the war in Afghanistan has caused. It has been absolutely heartbreaking to witness the panic and desperation that has set in throughout Afghanistan, especially in Kabul. Many of these people had put their faith in the new Afghan government, and in American ideals. They had bought into the democratic experiment and strove to live a peaceful life. Many had worked with and assisted U.S. forces, the State Department, aid agencies and U.S. contractors, often at great risk to their own lives.

The rug was pulled out from under them in a matter of days.

The reality is that this epic failure has been years, if not decades, in the making. According to aid groups, it is estimated that there are 80,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants, including family members, still in Afghanistan. It was never realistic to think that there was an honest chance of getting our allies out, given the shortened timetable for troop removal negotiated last year. Our chance to get them out safely was over the past few years, not during a last-minute slapdash escape from Afghanistan. Instead, multiple administrations and politicians from both sides of the aisle dragged their feet on streamlining the SIV process, which was our only chance at honoring promises we made to our overseas allies. Hopefully, history will hold those responsible to account.

Surely, there will be plenty of after-action reports, partisan blame-gaming and people trying to cast off any responsibility for this unconscionable disaster. However, looking at this solely from the vantage point of the U.S. and our politics completely misses the true tragedy of this humanitarian crisis. There has been a terrible human toll over the last 20 years, especially among Afghans. The Costs of War Project estimates that over 47,245 Afghan civilians have died, along with at least 66,000 Afghans in the national military and police forces. We have also lost 2,448 American service members, undoubtedly leaving many others with invisible scars and often failing to provide them with the support and care they need upon returning home.

We are still a long way from truly accounting for the damage this war has wrought, not in the least because of how it has come to an end.

These numbers, while staggering, don’t truly convey the tragedy of this war, its botched ending or the potential ramifications of what is to come. They do not account for the individual stories of trauma, anxiety and fear. They do not account for the trauma of waiting in hiding for years, hoping your SIV application is approved before the Taliban hunt you down in retaliation for working with the U.S. or an aid agency. The anxiety of SIV holders having to leave their country, not knowing if they will ever see their families again. The fear of women in Afghanistan, who have finally been able to pursue an education and their dreams, only to now worry that they will be hidden away again or worse.

During my time as a volunteer for SIV resettlement organizations in San Diego, with both No One Left Behind and Helping El Cajon Refugees, it has always struck me that nearly the entire leadership and volunteers of both groups were women. These were the people who were stepping up, welcoming our allies and making sure our country honored its promises. If the Taliban leadership pushes the women of Afghanistan to the sidelines, it will deprive the country of the resolve, passion and leadership that I have seen and been inspired by locally, and they’d be doing themselves and the country a disservice.

Despite the anger and sadness so many are feeling right now, I continue praying that we are able to get our allies and other at-risk Afghans out before it’s too late. Also, I hope we take a hard look at how we as a country have failed so many people over the last 20 years, both at home and abroad.