Brooks: We Can ‘Preserve Civilization’ in Afghanistan without American Troops in Combat

On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” New York Times columnist David Brooks criticized the announced withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and argued that it will lead to the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, which will force the U.S. to return and be terrible for the people of Afghanistan. Brooks also said that the U.S. can “try to preserve civilization” without putting troops in combat by simply guarding those who are training Afghan soldiers.

Brooks stated, “I think it’s a grave mistake. I think every expert that I read, or at least most of them, seem to believe that the Taliban will take over Afghanistan, will take over Kabul and the major cities. And that’s not going to be good for girls who want to go to school. That’s not good for people who want to enjoy a life of freedom. That’s a return to something pretty ugly. … Our men and women in uniform are not on frontline combat, by and large, anymore. And so, it’s not as onerous a lift as it was before. And to preserve a somewhat free society, I think, is the right thing to do. If the U.S. pulls out, all the other NATO forces are expected to pull out, and then we’ll be back. And I understand the impatience. It’s been 20 years, but we’ve been in North Korea a long — or in South Korea a long time. We’ve been in Europe a long time. I think these things can sometimes serve a use. And I say that while saluting the sacrifice of the people who go over there.”

He added that with America’s power “comes opportunities to try to preserve civilization when you can. And that doesn’t mean going to war. That doesn’t mean putting our men and women in combat, but guarding people who are training the Afghan soldiers to go into combat, that seems to me, a right balance to strike.”

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