America’s drone war did more to radicalize young Muslims than any amount of preaching would’ve. ‘Surgical strikes’ were anything but. Whole families were blown to bits. When you have nothing and no one left, you have nothing more to lose. Those left behind? Wanted revenge. From America. A spurt of exponential growth of Taliban mushroomed. One moment you’re dancing at a wedding party. The next a pimply kid in the Pentagon pushes the famous button because his bosses are ignorant and full of loathsome arrogance, and dozens of happy people cease to exist. We killed with impunity. We who did the drone killing sat far away in suburbia, sipping cold beer watching Fox News.

Do we ever actually have a conversation about the psychological trauma suffered by thousands? Victims of America’s proxy wars, long-distance violence? Never mind the physical. Which American has had to flee for their lives ever, except Indigenous peoples and slaves? And now victims of global warming in hurricane regions of america? Easy to say the word refugee.

Our insincerity and selfishness has left the women of Afghanistan bare to depredations of the Taliban. And professionals like teachers, performers, doctors, long list. So betrayed by Americans.