ATLANTA — Officials are orchestrating evacuations from Afghanistan, where the Taliban quickly regained control of the country following the exit of U.S. troops.
Some Georgia veterans are split on the decision to bring the troops home.
Retired Navy veteran James Thornton served in Afghanistan for one year working as part of the Navy’s security forces. When he was there, he said the purpose was clear - provide help, food, clothes and healthcare to those in need. Twelve years later, he doesn't know how the U.S. can help.
Like many Americans, James and his wife, Amina, also a Navy vet, have watched Afghanistan fold under rapid and intense pressure from the Taliban.
"I think it’s sad. I think it’s really sad," said Amina.
"The people of Afghanistan really want equality. They want a democracy and any hopes of a democracy is being snatched out from under them," she said.
Though they want to see American troops return home, they think U.S forces should have stayed longer.
"The troops should have came home, but before they came home there should have been an ending, some sort of peace agreement in place," said James Thornton.
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President Joe Biden declared Monday, he does not regret his decision to bring troops home and made a promise not to pass the war down to another president – the fifth after him.
Retired Army Sergeant Alonna Collins agrees.
"I back him up with it because it’s gone on too long. They’re over there now just wasting tax payer’s dollars and losing lives," said Collins.
Collins did two tours in Afghanistan over the span of two and half years. She said she feared for her life every day.
But, she said she did the work that had to be done even if she didn’t understand why the U.S. was pumping so much of its resources into the foreign country.
"We have to fight our own battles, so I don’t think it was fair for us to have to go over there to tend to them when they could be doing it themselves," said Collins.
Now, she said, with caution, it’s time for our troops to come home.
"We were supposed to have been brought back two times already, but then we end up going back so everyone needs to be home," said Collins.