![]() And in July 2021, President Biden promised that the United States would “take care of the Afghan nationals who work side-by-side with U.S. Indeed, Congress in 2009 established a legal framework for these allies to flee Afghanistan and emigrate to the United States through the Special Immigrant Visa program. We not only owe these allies a debt of gratitude but we also have an obligation to make good on our promises.įor a time, it seemed, the U.S. ![]() Make no mistake: These were no passing words of encouragement or battlefield bedside manner meant to cajole reticent cooperators.This was the consistent policy of the United States for over two decades, from general officer to infantryman, from station chief to case officer: to recruit allies to the fight by promising that America would have their backs when the time came. They were drawn to the prospect of a better Afghanistan and relied on the promises made to them by our troops and our national leaders that we would then - and forever - stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, not abandon them and their families. troops placed them and their families in harm’s way - marked for reprisal by the Taliban for their work with the Americans. They stood by us, knowing that their work with U.S. They fought as brothers in arms with American servicemembers, protecting, guiding and supporting our troops on a foreign battlefield, tens of thousands of miles from home. ![]() ![]() They were drivers, translators, cooks and guards. ![]() From Kabul to forward operating bases around the country, and in firefights with the Taliban and al Qaeda, Afghans worked alongside American forces to remove the Taliban from power, fight terrorism, and rebuild that nation with a democratically elected government. During our military’s campaign in Afghanistan, American soldiers relied heavily on tens of thousands of brave Afghans to provide vital assistance as they worked to carry out their mission. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |