Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Two Questions about Afghan Refugees
Townhall.com ^ | September 8, 2021 | Byron York

Posted on 09/08/2021 4:52:16 AM PDT by Kaslin

The Biden administration's position has enraged some Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Not long after Klain spoke, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent out a series of tweets about the Taliban blocking two planes holding some U.S. citizens from leaving the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. "My staff and I have worked night and day to secure the safe passage of two planes waiting in Mazar-i-Sharif to take American citizens, at-risk Afghan allies and their families to safety," Blumenthal said. "I have been deeply frustrated, even furious, at our government's delay and inaction."

With a prominent member of the president's own party agitating for action, it does not seem likely the White House will be able to quickly turn the page from Afghanistan.

But then there is the second question: Who did we bring out? Recently, the Washington Examiner's Tori Richards reported that a Republican congressman from Wisconsin, Rep. Tom Tiffany, toured the Fort McCoy army base in western Wisconsin, where at least 3,000 Afghan refugees have been brought so far. "The refugees at the base have no visas and haven't undergone the standard vetting process," Richards reported.

"Does this mean they have ties to the Taliban, ISIS or al-Qaida?" Tiffany asked. "Do they have ties to terror organizations, yet [the State Department] just says we are fully vetting them? I am concerned that they don't have the information on background to make sure they are fully vetted."

The questions go beyond allegations of ties to terrorism. A more basic question is whether those evacuated from Afghanistan actually helped the United States in the 20-year war in Afghanistan. The U.S. priority list was always citizens first, followed by those who assisted American forces during the war. Other Afghans who did not aid the United States, even if they have a legitimate fear of Taliban rule, are not near the top of the list.

The most important point is that, given the frenzied evacuation, U.S. officials do not really know who they have airlifted out of Afghanistan. Look at this recent account in The Washington Post, quoting an Afghan named Mustafa who had helped U.S. forces and got onto an American plane:

"Many [of those on board] had minimal identification and did not appear to have worked closely with the United States as [Mustafa] had, serving as a translator and analyst," the Post reported. "They were 'just people,' Mustafa said, who took advantage of the disorderly evacuation to flee their turbulent country. 'Nobody knows who was the good guy and who was the bad guy getting into the plane,' said Mustafa ... 'It's a risky thing that I believe happened.'"

So bottom line, it will not be -- or at least it should not be -- easy for the Joe Biden White House to turn the page from Afghanistan. Of course they want to talk about the president's agenda. But the Afghan evacuation happened, and now some U.S. citizens remain stranded in Afghanistan, while thousands of insufficiently vetted Afghans are arriving in the United States, courtesy of the administration. No president can walk away from that.

Biden administration officials are proud of their effort to airlift about 118,000 Afghans, plus somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 U.S. citizens, from the Kabul airport in the final days of the president's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. But still unanswered are two key questions: One, who did we leave behind? And two, who did we bring out?

The administration would prefer you did not ask those questions. The spin out of the White House is that the president is ready to move on, to turn the page after the mess in Afghanistan. But that will not be possible, at least for a while.

On the first question, White House chief of staff Ron Klain now says the number of U.S. citizens left in Afghanistan is lower than earlier thought. "We believe it's around 100," Klain said recently. "We're in touch with all of them who we have identified on a regular basis."

Klain also made clear that the United States is now dependent on the assistance of others to help U.S. citizens in Afghanistan. "We're hopeful that, in the coming days, the Qataris will be able to resume air service out of Kabul," he said. "And if they do, we're obviously going to look to see if Americans can be part of those flights."

With that, Klain summarized U.S. weakness in Afghanistan. The United States, which depended on the good graces of the Taliban to stage the evacuation, is now hoping Qatar can lend a hand with the U.S. citizens American forces left behind.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; refugies; vetting

1 posted on 09/08/2021 4:52:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Are you tested
do you have covid


2 posted on 09/08/2021 5:08:34 AM PDT by ronnie raygun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Nothing to see here, move along ... and eat your peas.


3 posted on 09/08/2021 5:09:08 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

118,000 translators?

Not likely.


4 posted on 09/08/2021 5:18:44 AM PDT by marron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Who will be held responsible for malicious mischief caused by any one of bumblin’ biden’s imported afghan muslims??


5 posted on 09/08/2021 5:20:09 AM PDT by chief lee runamok (Anti Socialist Derelict at Large)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marron

Some “journalists” were saying there were 250,000 that worked with us over 20 yes. I don’t believe that number, unless they are including extended families of people who helped us.


6 posted on 09/08/2021 5:28:25 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ronnie raygun
No to both. My husband, son and I are all in "voluntary" quarantine meaning we are staying in our house and we have no contact with our neighbors and other people. When someone comes to our house they always wear a mask. The only time my husband, who btw is 84 goes outside is to bring the mail in from the mail box which is at the end of our mail box. He sees the mail truck stopping when he looks out of the window. Most of is is junk mail, but boy does he love junk mail.

Our son does the grocery shopping but he refuses to let me ride with him. I am handicapped and can only walk with a cane. I have a degenerative disc desease and a degenerative hip joint desease. He says I don't feel like dragging you around.

BTW I am 80 years old.

7 posted on 09/08/2021 5:35:11 AM PDT by Kaslin (Joe Biden will never be my President, and neither will Kamala Harris)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ronnie raygun

I forgot to mention,that our son wears a mask when he goes grocery shopping.


8 posted on 09/08/2021 5:49:41 AM PDT by Kaslin (Joe Biden will never be my President, and neither will Kamala Harris)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

“airlift about 118,000 Afghans”

“plus somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 U.S. citizens”

The BiteMe administration is manifestly doing everything it can to finish off the destruction of this country.


9 posted on 09/08/2021 5:54:02 AM PDT by SharpRightTurn (Election Fraud Deniers--Won't follow the science, won't follow the law.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Grateful for your son. I do the shopping for us, grandma, and two elderly neighbors. I wear a mask and decon the groceries with an ozone generator. Might be overkill, but I have gotten into a rhythm with it.

As time went on I got a bit lax on some of the other stuff. (Early on I would do the shopping, strip down in the garage, take a shower, and then hand out the groceries.) Now I skip the stripping and showers. (Typical flu lasts 20 minutes on clothing and skin - Covid is similar).

I’m glad that you have the support of your son. However, try to meet with your family and neighbors outside during these last nice days of summer. Covid isn’t much of a threat outside if you can keep some distance between each other. I think it is really important to keep some physical relationships with other folks. Do it however you feel comfortable - but do it. Being outside, with a good mask, 6 feet away - pretty safe. But still allows you to maintain some physical relationships.


10 posted on 09/08/2021 6:03:23 AM PDT by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant. Never Fearful!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Blah, another article that’s a total mess. The author slept through Writing 101.

1) The first paragraph should explain the title. In other words, get to the point.

2) Paragraphs should be no shorter than three sentences. Paragraph two is short two sentences.

3) He ignores the first question and begins paragraph three with the second question.


11 posted on 09/08/2021 7:20:22 AM PDT by bgill (.Which came first, the vax or the virus?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Why don’t you apply to the Washington Examiner or Townhall. com to hire you if can do better.


12 posted on 09/08/2021 7:56:39 AM PDT by Kaslin (Joe Biden will never be my President, and neither will Kamala Harris)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson