Thousands of Afghans who helped U.S. want to evacuate before the Taliban finds them

[left-of-center2012]

The Biden administration is under mounting pressure from lawmakers, veterans groups and refugee organizations to organize a large-scale evacuation of endangered Afghan interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. government before U.S. troops withdraw from the country in September.

Veterans organizations from across the political spectrum support a mass evacuation of Afghans, said Chris Purdy, project manager of the Veterans for American Ideals program at the advocacy nonprofit Human Rights First. The Biden administration so far has been "noncommittal," Purdy said.

Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan, said he has spoken to frightened Afghans who feel the walls closing in. "I am hearing from a lot of them, and the ones I talk to, their panic and fear ... in their voices is so palpable," Waltz said and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have reassured him that they are taking the safety of Afghan partners seriously.

The Taliban have ratcheted up attacks on civil society activists and women in particular as U.S. and NATO troops prepare to withdraw, assassinating judges, journalists and local officials. A massive bombing Saturday at a secondary school in Kabul killed at least 60 people, most of them girls. The Afghan government blamed the Taliban.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/we-will-kill-you-thousands-afghans-who-helped-u-s-n1266744

[maxsolomon]

1. The death toll on the Hazari girl's school is now 80.

80 women who dared to learn.

10s of 1,000s of legitimate refugees. 100s of 1,000s. That Hazara Shiite section of Kabul is over a million people alone.

[RobinA]

2. And Now From The

"those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it" file...

[mitch96]

3. Vet them and bring them in. They helped us and now it's time to help them.. nt

[JustAnotherGen]

4. We need to bring them here

Now.

[RussBLib]

5. we owe it to those Afghanis. bring them to the US.

and we are never going to overcome religious fanatics, like the Taliban, with bombs and bullets. Maybe we were there to stop the Taliban from eradicating all the opium poppies.

[Klaralven]

6. Not a good idea

Even if they profess allegiance now, there is no guarantee that they won't become disillusioned and turn against us.

A good case in point is the Boston Marathon bombings by nephews of a Chechen CIA asset.

[WarGamer]

7. We need to get them out...

[Raine]

8. It's so wrong to abandon them and leave them at the "mercy"

of the Taliban after they helped us.