
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As a person who has a marine grandson buried in the hallowed ground of the national cometary in Boca Raton, Florida – and has a lifetime deep respect for those who serve in the military &#8212; I have both an intellectual and emotional response to the controversy that has arisen over President Trump’s recent visit to Arlington Cemetery.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While I have taken umbrage over some of Trump’s insensitive remarks about those who serve our nation, I was more disturbed by the reaction of Democrats and the left-leaning news folks to the Arlington visit. I feel more in line with the sentiments of the families who invited Trump to honor and draw attention to the sacrifice of their loved ones. I view his acceptance of the invitation as a positive thing,</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The occasion was the third anniversary of Biden’s unilateral surrender in Afghanistan – where my grandson had been previously killed – and the related deaths of 13 American soldiers by terrorists during the chaotic retreat.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The controversy over Trump’s participation in the memorial event arose over a vague rule against taking photos and videos for partisan political purposes. ; ; I say a “vague rule” because it is almost never enforced. ; There have been ubiquitous photos and videos of politicians visiting Arlington. ; Some have been used in campaign material. ; The most notable examples were several visits to President Kennedy’s eternal flame memorial by family members – some during political campaigns.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The families of three of the Afghanistan exodus victims, who are buried at Arlington, invited both President Trump and President Biden (or a White House surrogate) to participate in the memorial ceremony, Trump accepted the invitation, and the Biden administration ignored it without even the courtesy of a response – privately or publicly.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Not only were the families NOT offended by Trump’s appearance, but they were also appreciative and honored by his presence – and they said so in many media interviews. ; It is those who spin the event into a cheap campaign attack on Trump who have politicized the event and disrespected the families.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The most obvious reason anti-Trumpers would engage in such action is to distract from the culpability of Biden in the disastrous, chaotic and deadly surrender of Afghanistan to the Taliban terrorists. ; And by extension, distract from the thousands of Afghan allies Biden left behind to die.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The surrender of Afghanistan was one of the worst foreign policy blunders by an American President – right up there with President Franklin Roosevelt’s surrender of eastern Europe to Russia’s Joseph Stalin at the Yalta Conference. It was the event that appropriately collapsed Biden’s favorable ratings – never to fully recover.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I see a significant difference between staging a purely political event at the Cemetery and participating in an appropriate memorial event arranged by others with good intentions and purposes. ; The families were appreciative of Trump’s participation. ; That is about all that needs to be said about Trump’s attendance.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I well understand the pain and suffering of the families – and the desire to have their loved ones remembered as the heroes they are. ; And to have the affirmation of a President – even a past President. ; If there is any disrespect to be noted, it is the absence of Biden from attending or even publicly expressing sorry and sadness. ; He was AWOL. ; And that is all that needs to be said about Biden’s not attending.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

Trump pays respect to fallen soldiers at Arlington Cemetery
