Zak: I was willing to risk my life. Thousands of my fellow Afghans lost theirs. The corruption in our own national government was a chain around our collective necks. Leaders must earn their positions by deserving the trust of the people. A government with anything less will never survive and the governed will never thrive. For now, the Taliban own Afghanistan. People I love who are still there are suffering. Modern medical care is already only a memory. Security and freedom are a dream.