Who are we fooling about Afghanistan?

More than 480 militant Taliban inmates escape from an Afghan prison by “crawling” 350 yards through a 3-foot-wide hole in 4½ hours. Let’s look at the math.

Sending 480 people through the tunnel four to five at a time (due to oxygen concerns as reported) would require about 107 separate groups of prisoners. Each group would have to complete the “crawl” through a tunnel the length of 3½ football fields in an average of 2½ minutes. Average walking speed is about 3 mph.

Is it possible 480 prisoners could “crawl” through a 3-foot tunnel 20 to 40 percent faster than the average person “walking” the same distance? Accounts of the event by the Afghan officials “suggest” possible collusion with prison guards. Ya think?

Do you think even one prisoner had to worm his way through that tunnel to get out, or did they just walk out?

I’ll leave the debate about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan for another day. But why do we continue to be told our mission is aligned with the current Afghan government’s full cooperation and resolve? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me over and over again, shame on me!

Tom Franzak

Hoffman Estates