'I Fear for My Country Today:' Vets Reflect on 9/11

Matter of Opinion

New York Times Opinion

Society & Culture, Ross Douthat, News, New York Times, Journalism

4.2 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 8 September 2021

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As the world reflects on the anniversary of Sept. 11, what does the day of the attacks — and the 20 years of war it precipitated — feel like to America’s veterans? With the Afghanistan withdrawal suddenly reclaiming attention for the “forever” wars, is the 9/11 era finally over, on the home front and in America’s foreign policy? Jane Coaston brings together Kenneth Harbaugh and Michael Washington, two friends and veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom, to discuss the pax Americana, the 9/11 roots of today’s divide in the veteran community and the political weaponization of service members’ patriotism. Harbaugh is a former Navy pilot and is a podcaster and veterans’ advocate. Washington is a former Marine and firefighter who today works as a licensed therapist for veterans and emergency workers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today on the argument, how do America's veterans talk about September 11th?
0:07.0	Last night in Kabul, the United States ended the longest war in American history.
0:15.0	On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al-Qaeda terrorist training camps
0:21.0	and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
0:25.0	It was here in Afghanistan where some have been lawden established to safe haven for his terrorist organization.
0:31.0	It was here from within these borders that al-Qaeda launched the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children.
0:39.0	We've been there for 19 years and we've acted as policemen, not soldiers.
0:44.0	And if we wanted to be soldiers, it would be over in 10 days, one week to 10 days if we wanted to.
0:50.0	I refuse to continue to war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interests of our people.
0:56.0	I refuse to open another decade of war for in Afghanistan.
1:00.0	We've been a nation too long at war.
1:04.0	If you're 20 years old today, you've never known an American peace.
1:12.0	This week is the 20th anniversary of September 11th.
1:16.0	I'm pretty sure you know that by now.
1:20.0	It's wild to think that it's been two decades since the only morning of my freshman year of high school.
1:25.0	I remember absolutely perfectly every detail seared into some part of my skull.
1:30.0	And it's even more staggering and sobering and sad and awful to come to terms with the almost 20 years of wars that have followed, beginning in October 2001 with the war in Afghanistan.
1:42.0	I'm Jane Kostin and what I wanted to do this week is hear from veterans who fought in that war about what 9-11 has meant to them and how it's colored their lives, their service and their feelings about our country since.
1:56.0	So today we're bringing you a conversation I had with two veterans of operation and during freedom.
2:02.0	That's the official name of the United States Global War on terror.
2:07.0	Michael Washington and Ken Harbauer friends.
2:13.0	They met years ago through team Rubicon, an organization that helps veterans serve communities and humanitarian emergencies.
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