Could someone please put a number on it?

[bluewater]

How many Afghans that were helping the US over the last 20 years need to be evacuated at this point in time for this mission to be a success?

I first read that the number was 21,000 special visa applicant/holders.

But then I read that 70,700 people, including about 5,000 US passport holders, have been flown out so far.

That means about 65,000 Afghan citizens have been rescued. That's 44,000 more than the original 21,000 special visa number.

And yet the news media is criticizing President Biden for leaving behind our Afghan allies, stranding them to the mercies of the Taliban.

Ok. But what number of Afghan allies are we actually suppose to rescue before the mission is considered a success?

100,000? A million? How many endangered Afghan allies are there in actuality?

Serious question.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

1. I remember seeing 300K thrown around before everything went sideways nt

[chowder66]

2. The number I was seeing was 88,000 had applied for visas. Links.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2021/08/15/america-must-save-afghan-refugees-from-the-taliban/?sh=5ff089dd45fa

https://www.vox.com/world/22627049/planes-afghanistan-evacuation-refugees-taliban

https://iine.org/stand-behind-our-allies-in-afghanistan/

[Donkees]

3. 'How Many People in Afghanistan Need to be Rescued? The Number Remains Elusive.'

U.S. officials are reluctant to provide an estimate of the one number that matters most in their stream of evacuation updates.

Aug. 24, 2021, 7:15 p.m. ET

Excerpt:

WASHINGTON — More than 70,700 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan as of Tuesday evening. Nearly 6,000 American troops are protecting the international airport in Kabul, the capital. And additional U.S. flights are leaving every 45 minutes.

The Biden administration has provided a stream of updates about its airlift of Americans, Afghans and others since Aug. 14, when the Taliban closed in on Kabul. Yet U.S. officials are reluctant to offer an estimate of the one number that matters most: How many people ultimately need to be rescued.

That tally has never been more critical, with the American government preparing to wind down evacuations as the U.S. military begins its final withdrawal from Afghanistan. On Tuesday, President Biden reaffirmed his plan to remove all American troops by Aug. 31, although he left room “to adjust the timeline should that become necessary.”

But U.S. officials believe that thousands of Americans remain in Afghanistan, including some far beyond Kabul, without a safe or fast way to get to the airport. Tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the U.S. government over the last 20 years, and are eligible for special visas, are desperate to leave.

And refugee and resettlement experts estimate that at least 300,000 Afghans are in imminent danger of being targeted by the Taliban for associating with Americans and U.S. efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/us/politics/afghanistan-evacuations-airport.html

[Ohio Joe]

4. No, I doubt anyone could put a number on it...

"help" is a vague term in this situation... 20 years... I expect it to be a much higher number. Does it matter?

[dalton99a]

5. Also, add 73,628 Afghans who were admitted to the U.S. before the evacuation

As of March 31, the latest data available, 20,829 Afghans, plus 52,799 family members, had received special immigrant visas since 2014 under a separate program created by Congress for those who could face reprisals for their work with U.S. troops.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/21/us/refugees-history-afghanistan.html

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. Actually left, and are here now, or just have the visas? (nt)

[dalton99a]

8. They are most certainly in the U.S.

The number is from March

People in that part of the world don't stick around after getting an immigrant visa to the U.S.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

9. I'm just asking because 'admitted to US' (via a visa) is not the same as physically being here

So was curious if the NYT (paywalled) article is specifically saying that they're here?

[royable]

6. Remember to count their family members, too. n/t

[Mr.Bill]

10. After 20 years of war and a corrupt government

it's going to be nearly impossible to sort out the bad guys from the good guys.