With President Biden being forced to defend his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan on Monday, the reporting on the CBS Evening News cut deeper than others as they spoke with veterans who fought there, lost limbs there, and the families who lost loved ones there. CBS Pentagon correspondent and Navy veteran of Vietnam, David Martin got them to open up about how they feel and whether or not they think everything they sacrificed was for nothing.
“In two decades, more than three-quarters of a million American service members have been deployed to Afghanistan. Well, tonight, many wonder if their sacrifices were wasted,” announced anchor Norah O’Donnell as she handed it off to Martin.
He first spoke with “Juan Dominguez [who] was a Marine lance corporal in 2010, sent into the Taliban heartland of Helmand Province, where his battalion lost 25 men killed.” Dominguez said he’s “on the verge of breaking down crying because this is just like – we gave so much and just like that is wiped out.”
Dominguez also feared for the safety of the Afghanis who helped his fellow Marines over the last 20 years. “We have seemingly turned our backs on them. And just pray for them because our government didn't help them get that safe passage out,” he lamented.
Up next was “Retired Army colonel, Dave Bronstrom lost his son Jonathan at the Battle of Wanat in 2008.” “It's a disgrace to this country to depart like this,” Bronstrom said. “This is very disheartening.”
Martin also shared the video from an apache helicopter that witnessed the battle where Bronstrom’s son sacrificed his life to protect his unit:
APACHE CREWMAN: We're in a bad situation, need you to come in hot immediately.
MARTIN: The gun camera of an apache helicopter could make out his body along with the other soldiers killed that day.
APACHE CREWMAN: We will have additional fallen hero missions to follow. I have a total of nine KIA. Over.
Martin even asked him the hard question brought on Biden’s decision that allowed the Taliban to take control of the country:
MARTIN: I hate to ask this question. Does it feel to you like your son died for nothing?
BRONSTROM: You know, my son died trying to protect his fellow soldiers. But for the ultimate cause of stabilizing the country and establishing a good government, yes, it was a sacrifice that was for naught.
“The United States spent $1 trillion in Afghanistan and it seems like peanuts compared to the 2,400 dead and the 22,000 wounded,” Martin concluded.
The question of if the sacrifice was worth it was also brought up by O’Donnell in the final segment, where she reflected on the war: “Wars are costly to start and costly to end. It's costly to stay and costly to leave. The cost in lives, the nearly 2,500 American troops lost, the families they left behind, and the more than 20,000 wounded warriors some wondering: were our sacrifices worth it?”
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
August 16, 2021
6:38:37 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: In two decades, more than three-quarters of a million American service members have been deployed to Afghanistan. Well, tonight, many wonder if their sacrifices were wasted. We have more on this from CBS's David Martin.
[Cuts to video]
DAVID MARTIN: Juan Dominguez was a Marine lance corporal in 2010, sent into the Taliban heartland of Helmand Province, where his battalion lost 25 men killed.
JUAN DOMINGUEZ: I'm on the verge of breaking down crying because this is just like – we gave so much and just like that is wiped out. You know?
MARTIN: He lost both legs and an arm, but incredibly has fashioned a new life as a drummer. His thoughts are with the Afghans who helped the Marines and are now at the mercy of the Taliban.
DOMINGUEZ: We have seemingly turned our backs on them. And just pray for them because our government didn't help them get that safe passage out.
COL. DAVE BRONSTROM (Ret., Army): It's a disgrace to this country to depart like this.
MARTIN: Retired Army colonel, Dave Bronstrom lost his son Jonathan at the battle of Wanat in 2008.
APACHE CREWMAN: We're in a bad situation, need you to come in hot immediately.
MARTIN: The gun camera of an apache helicopter could make out his body along with the other soldiers killed that day.
APACHE CREWMAN: We will have additional fallen hero missions to follow. I have a total of nine KIA. Over.
BRONSTROM: This is very disheartening.
MARTIN: I hate to ask this question, does it feel to you like your son died for nothing?
BRONSTROM: You know, my son died trying to protect his fellow soldiers. But for the ultimate cause of stabilizing the country and establishing a good government, yes, it was a sacrifice that was for naught.
[Cuts back to live]
MARTIN: The United States spent $1 trillion in Afghanistan and it seems like peanuts compared to the 2,400 dead and the 22,000 wounded. Norah.
O’DONNELL: And we are thinking of those service members and their families. David Martin, thank you.
