Afghanistan facing similar fate of South Vietnam
The situation in Afghanistan is almost identical to that of South Vietnam after the withdrawal of American troops in 1973. The American-trained South Vietnamese army collapsed in the face of a North Vietnamese offensive, just as the American-trained Afghan army appears to have done with the Taliban’s rapid advance on Kabul. Likewise, the ostensibly democratic governments of both nations turned out to be hopelessly corrupt and unpopular.
We have yet to learn one of the most important lessons of the Vietnam War: you can’t impose a democratic form of government on a nation that has never known democracy and expect it to flourish. Also, killing so many civilians is no way to gain popular support. The Taliban will likely install strict Islamic rule and execute or “re-educate” supporters of the present regime. In short, it appears that Afghanistan is about to suffer the fate of South Vietnam. A similar scenario could also play out in Iraq.
LUCAS CARPENTER, CONYERS
School safety trumps politicization of masks
I note the clash of protesters in Cobb County over a mask mandate in schools. As a grandparent of Cobb County middle and high school students, I can only observe that the argument of anti-maskers that they should be “free to choose” is specious and disingenuous. You are not free to choose the code of conduct for your children while in school, nor can you determine their dress code. The school system sets those policies, and I have not seen protests of those “infringements” on your “freedoms.” The safety of the students and staff “Trumps” your politicization of masks. Let’s view it as what it is, a temporary change in the dress code to protect the vulnerable. Is that more palatable?
STEVE MERLIN, MARIETTA
