I am writing to calm the anxiety caused by us leaving Afghanistan. It is a big mess right now, but we had to bite the bullet and leave some time.

It could have been on May 1 or Sept. 1, or maybe 10 years from now. Either way this mess was inevitable. We needed to get out.

The women of Afghanistan will be the ones to suffer, to be sent back into slavery and tossed back into the 14th century. But I have faith that the women have gone to schools and have learned how special freedom can be, and they will teach their children.

The Taliban may try to kill them but will soon learn they need women to birth the next generation of soldiers. The seed of freedom has been planted.

We as a country should learn not to force our democracy on others with military might; it only causes anger and hatred. We should teach by example.

How’s our freedom and democracy working right now?

Carole Richards, Livermore