Why are there so many non-military Americans still in Afghanistan anyway?

[LymphocyteLover]

I remember the Biden people were telling non-essential staff to get out months ago.

And certainly once it was clear the Taliban was taking control, shouldn't they have gotten to the airport first?

Is it media types or what? They say thousands of Americans left in country.

[msongs]

1. they like it there, they are greedy and trying to make $$, who knows nt

[dalton99a]

3. +1. Most likely, last chance to pig out at the public trough

[rockfordfile]

13. I agree

I met a person a few years ago that had a kid in Afghanistan as a contractor. He wasn't happy about it.

[Texaswitchy]

2. Yeah

Not a place I would stay.

[walkingman]

4. I don't know about Afghanistan but my experience

working for a defense contractor was there was almost a 1:1 ratio of troops to contractors. Lots of people doing most of the essential work of the military except combat and in some cases even that.

It's all about the flow of easy money. If taxpayers were really aware of what happens during one of our wars they would be outraged...or maybe not?

[LymphocyteLover]

6. yes, I think if anyone's paying attention they would know what a scam this war was

[treestar]

5. being there in the first place

ever since there was a war there, too.

[LymphocyteLover]

7. you mean before the war started?

[treestar]

8. that would be over 20 years

Americans who were there before the war started - well, I'd have left then.

But if as an American I'd stayed there the last 20 years, I'd have left when the State Department started recommending leaving.

[LymphocyteLover]

19. me too!

[hlthe2b]

9. Some are very dedicated people staffing the NGOs and nearly always wait to the last minute

to leave. No, they are not in it for the $$. I've worked with them in past years in other areas (often dangerous) parts of the world. The cynical would never believe their sincerity nor their dedication, but I've seen it upfront and personal.

I'm sure there are military contractors looking to squeeze out the last profits and mercenaries as well.

[question everything]

10. Agree. I have heard a teacher being interviewed, lamenting all her work will be for naught

Agree. I have heard a teacher being interviewed, lamenting all her work will be for naught

[Sympthsical]

11. Contractors

Private contractors often provide services for the military. There were also contractors working with the Afghan government and military.

In war, not everyone is either part of our military or government. Plenty of private citizens wander over to make a buck. They get paid a lot because of the danger. For example, one of the problems with the Afghan army is that they were reliant on American contractors to service their air force. The State department banned them from entering the country a bit ago. So, no one was servicing the planes.

Just one example of hundreds.

There are also aid workers there as well under private NGOs.

[Hekate]

12. There are a host of aid organizations there! Can we try to not be 100% cynical all the time, DUers?

Teachers and medical people are only a part of it, and they aren’t there for the money, but because their hearts have told them to go where most needed.

[LymphocyteLover]

20. No doubt-- but I was just wondering how many of these people were so dedicated that they stayed even

when it was recommended that they leave weeks ago.

[rockfordfile]

14. A lot of those knew better to get out long ago.

It seems at first the people running around at the airport was caused by the corrupt Afghanistan President leaving.

[haele]

15. NGOs and other contractors for organizations like USAID, etc...

Church/Missionary groups. Corporate liasions and Branch offices. Agents for various organizations, government and otherwise. Educators and other groups.
Some of them in more remote areas may have just learned about the collapse of the old government this week and are trying to get out now, especially if there's no cell service around and they have to depend on spotty radio or satellite phones, and may not have checked in for a while.

Haele

[betsuni]

16. I watched an ABC interview with an American still in Kabul, David Fox.

Talking about trying to get to the airpot, that American military wouldn't let him in even though they saw him and he yelled that he and his family were American.

Didn't think he was military or government, probably had his own company. Looked it up, and yes, owns his own company.

He knew this was coming. He's worried about getting his family out. There was plenty of time, no visa problem. I wanted the news guy to ask why he waited until the last minute. There were all these suitcases around his apartment, but if he wanted to bring lots of stuff he should've left months ago. Now he says he'll wait until commercial flights resume.

Also, he held up a printed out document he said was from an email the State Department sent him and claimed it was sent out to Afghans who now have a "bogus document" of a visa and are flocking by the hundreds of thousands to the airport -- some kind of primitive conspiracy theory. Don't trust this guy at all, no way. Suspicious.

[Hoyt]

17. Contractors I guess. Our National Security Advisor now says they are responsible

for making it to airport. Good luck.

[CanonRay]

18. I had a friend who was a contractor there, making a shit-ton of money

and stashing it overseas. Plus he was an adrenaline junkie. He's dead now. Died on the day he finally "retired". Karma baby.