Taliban as job program

Re: “Extending Combat Mission — Afghans aren’t ready to fend off Taliban onslaught,” Friday Editorials.

This editorial mentions the need for combat troops to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan, but not the need for jobs. A young man who risked his life serving as an interpreter and cultural adviser to the American Special Forces in Afghanistan reminded me that many Afghans join the Taliban because it’s the only way they can support their families. He seemed bewildered by our failure to face this reality.

I know many people throughout the world who think Americans like to solve problems with guns. I worry that some people feel this is the result of a strong Christian influence in America. A bigger worry is that this might be driving them from Christianity. America, and its Christian culture, is on stage in Afghanistan. Are we presenting the right performance to the rest of the world?

John Stettler, Dallas