The Taliban's successful return to power is indubitably the result of the American and foreign forces' departure after 20 years.
Among the Luxembourgish soldiers stationed in Afghanistan were brothers Joe and Jeff Etienne, who served stints in 2010 and 2012. Today, they are disappointed and feel that their years of work and personal commitment have amounted to nothing.
The mission they had there was ultimately useless, Jeff Etienne says. Besides the fact that some people were happy that they were stationed in the country, portraying the image of having the situation under control, Etienne described it as "a huge waste of money".
Jeff Etienne served in the first platoon, on duty in Kandahar, where he experienced some very dangerous situations. There were days when he was grateful they made it back to camp.
Training was also different, and made them realise that they were no longer in Luxembourg or Belgium, but in the real world. Jeff also recalls situations where American soldiers did not survive their stationing and returned home in coffins.
"These are moments that mark you enormously", Jeff continues. "You live with those boys, you grow up with some of them, you know each other for a while and suddenly one of them is gone. He died for world peace, for the ideas he had, and now you see these images and you wonder what value it all had."
Further reading: Six Luxembourgers remain in Afghan capital
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