As a retired veteran, I was saddened to read of the helicopter crash in Afghanistan that killed more than two dozen U.S. special forces troops Saturday.

The Taliban claim responsibility for the catastrophe, but the U.S. and United Nations must share part of the blame for allowing Afghan warlords and drug dealers to operate freely in the area, in many cases financed by U.S. aid dollars.

Our own government is assisting our adversaries, which makes no sense at all. President Obama and his military commanders need to explain just what our military is accomplishing in Afghanistan and why we continue to give that country large amounts of U.S foreign aid. This is no way to fight a war.

Quinton D. Thompson, Towson