In this essay for The Free Press, Elliot Ackerman reflects on his service with the CIA-sponsored Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams in Afghanistan, later known as the Zero Units.
Writing after the attack on National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe in Washington, D.C., Ackerman argues that the alleged actions of one former Zero Unit member should not be used to malign the thousands of Afghan allies who fought beside American forces.
The CIA’s Zero Units
Ackerman explains that the Zero Units were created after 9/11 to pursue senior Taliban and al-Qaeda targets. Unlike the Afghan Army, these units worked directly with the U.S. government and conducted dangerous counterterrorism missions throughout the war.
Afghan Allies and American Obligations
The essay examines the discipline, training, and sacrifice of the Afghan partners Ackerman served with, including those evacuated after the fall of Kabul. He emphasizes that many risked their lives for years alongside U.S. forces.
Rejecting Broad Blame
Ackerman condemns the Washington, D.C., attack while warning against defining an entire community by one person’s crime. The essay calls for moral clarity, legal accountability, and a more honest accounting of America’s shared responsibility for the war in Afghanistan.