The Taliban views the U.S. as "the fat cow on the hill ready for slaughter," a former Army Ranger told Fox News during an interview discussing a fictionalized letter to the U.S. that he wrote from the extremist group's perspective.
Matthew Griffin told Fox News that he co-authored the fictitious letter to provide Americans perspective on how the Taliban and the rest of the world views the U.S.'s failures. The letter, "Written in Taliban," offers a scathing depiction of the U.S., its citizens, its leaders and its military.
"If you don't understand your enemy, you will lose," Griffin, a combat veteran who served three tours in Afghanistan, told Fox News. "We've spent the last 17 years fighting our enemy in Afghanistan without the ability for our leaders to understand our enemy."
"I wanted our representatives, before they go to vote for anything, to understand the futility of what they are going to do," he continued.
In his piece, Griffin highlights how the Taliban views America and American troops, writing: "You recruit your warriors from a drug addicted, distracted, disillusioned population that’s obsessed with comfort and entertainment … You’re a false front — an empty shell. You lie, cheat, steal, and are easily defeated because you lack the spine to fight."
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While speaking to Fox News, the former Army Ranger stood by these ideas that the Americans lack the strength and motivation to fight in a way that can match the Taliban.
"They grew up in war, in a life of misery and pain," he said. "They fight for the opportunity to die and to be blessed by God, forever."
"We fight for VA benefits and crappy health care and three-day weekends," he continued, noting that U.S. citizens grow up in a place of comfort. "This is the difference between our fighters."
The piece, published Saturday on Griffin's website, Combatflipflops.com, is also critical of U.S. military generals and its elected officials, describing them as "spineless, narcissistic, and cowardly."
Griffin told Fox News: "Very few general officers are actually willing to take the risk to do the right thing for the fight. As far as the elected officials go — they should have known better."
Griffin said he gained insight into the Taliban perspective during his deployments to Afghanistan between 2003 to 2005.
"This is how the Taliban views our nation," he told Fox News. "This is how the rest of the world views our nation."
"From their viewpoint, we are the fat cow on the hill ready for slaughter, and we don't give them anything else but the experience to believe that," Griffin continued.
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"As hard as it is for people to consume, as tough as it is for veterans to read this … they know it's the sad truth," he told Fox News. "This is what our nation is projecting to the world."
"We cannot continue down this rampant path of endless war," he continued.
The combat veteran urged all Americans to "stand up and hold our elected officials accountable and then force a change."
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