• Saigon, 1975. South Vietnam overrun when Democrat-controlled Congress reneges on promise of support. Iconic photo of ladder full of people trying to get on last helicopter besmirches US image for a generation.
• Benghazi, 2016. Ambassador Chris Stevens calls for help. Hillary and Obama let call go to voicemail, do nothing. Stevens, three other Americans killed, possibly tortured. US image damaged again.
• Kabul, 2021. Biden gives up secure Air Force Base at Bagram. As Taliban take over, embassy personnel depend on Kabul Airport with single runway for escape route. Biden relies on Taliban to let them go. How much more can US image take?

The image of a nation isn’t just public relations, like the image of a soap company. It’s a bit closer to the image of a car company, where trust in the safety and reliability of the product comes into play. But it’s much more than that.

Why did the French collect public contributions to fund the gift of the Statue of Liberty to the American people? Why did freedom demonstrators in Tienanmen Square build a Goddess of Freedom statue, obviously modeled after our Statue of Liberty? Why do freedom demonstrators in other nations sometimes make American flags to carry?

The reason is obvious. Other people associate America with freedom. But after 1½ years of lockdowns, masking, and compulsory vaccinations, I wonder whether this association will continue? And with repeated instances of bugging out on our people, will other people come to associate America with bugging out? Who could blame them?

Snap Quiz. Choose one: A) Leave no one behind. B) Cover your behind. But if you choose B, understand that next time, it may be you or someone you know we bug out on.

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