Opinion: Afghanistan's collapse was not pre-ordained. It was willful abandonment

Updated 1739 GMT (0139 HKT) August 17, 2021

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Retired Lt. Col. Jason Amerine is a 1993 graduate of the United States Military Academy with a bachelor of science in Arabic. He commanded a Special Forces team in Afghanistan after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. Every member of the team was awarded the Purple Heart for combat wounds. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion at CNN.

As I communicated with the terrified families of former allies trying to flee the country this week, I felt the sickening resignation one has when visiting a loved one in hospice. But Afghanistan's collapse was not pre-ordained. It was willful abandonment.