Five Years After Kabul's Fall, Veterans and Afghans Still Face Unresolved Trauma

Five years after the Taliban seized Kabul, the date remains a painful reminder for U.S. service members who describe the withdrawal as a betrayal that inflicted lasting moral injury. Many veterans now grapple with heightened suicide risk, delayed mental-health appointments, and a shrinking pool of psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Meanwhile, Afghan society has regressed sharply: girls are barred from schooling beyond sixth grade, women are largely excluded from work, and severe food insecurity threatens 14 million people.

Former Afghan security personnel continue to be hunted, while thousands of refugees remain stuck abroad due to halted immigration processing. Legislative efforts, led by Rep. Jason Crow and Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Murkowski, seek to prolong Temporary Protected Status for Afghans until 2029. The piece urges greater federal investment in treating moral injury and sustained support for Afghan allies.