As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, it is a good moment to say to Afghanistan veterans once again, thank you. We are not only proud. We are safer because of you. As the tragic and saddening scenes from Afghanistan dominate the news, many military veterans and others who served in America’s longest war these last 20 years will understandably wonder – was it all in vain? 

Our answer is a resounding no. Beyond the valor and duty you demonstrated, your sacrifices, and those of your families, made a major and positive difference for U.S. security. Whether one believes that the Taliban takeover now unfolding in Afghanistan was the inevitable outcome of this conflict or the result of policymaking mistakes in Washington and elsewhere, much has still been achieved. Many of the gains will likely be lost under Taliban rule, but many will not.

First, America has not been attacked out of Afghanistan since 9/11. This is a simple but very important fact that we should never take for granted. Indeed, while violence has continued to plague the broader Middle East, and also hit Europe hard in a wave of attacks inspired or conducted by ISIS from 2015 until 2017 or so, the United States has largely been spared from major extremist attacks on its own soil.   About 100 Americans have died here at home from jihadi violence since 9/11. If you had told American officials or strategists on Sept. 12, 2001 that we would manage to limit casualties on the homeland to such a level for two decades, they would have been thrilled to take that outcome. 

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