British Military Rescuing 'Anyone Left Behind' in Afghanistan
Pres. Biden's policy of diplomacy with Taliban leave American citizens and Afghan combat interpreters stranded
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The British are saving their comrades in arms from Afghanistan. Pres. Biden won’t even rescue American citizens left behind. The Royal Air Force (RAF) this week started flying combat interpreters to safety. Biden refuses to use the assets of the U.S. military. Instead, he tasked the State Department to use diplomacy s to convince the Taliban to let people leave. Biden’s policy has been a total failure.
The UK military is rescuing hundreds of its Afghan combat interpreters, according to an exclusive report in The Telegraph. They plan to spend several weeks rescuing the Afghans who worked side-by-side with British military during the 20-year war.
The U.S. policy is just to tell people to try to find private charters for rescue. On Thursday, the U.S. State Department Spokesman Ned Price said that, “There is no plan for military flights. The idea that we are restarting evacuation flights, á la what we had prior to August 31st, is not accurate.”
The State Department does not give contact information for the private groups doing rescues. This leaves all the Americans, green card holders and SIVs desperately trying to find how to get on the secret lists held by the veterans and faith based groups.
Meanwhile, the Brits aren’t stopping with the interpreters. They will rescue “anyone left behind” which could include Americans. From the Telegraph:
A Government source said: “More RAF aircraft are going in to pick people up from ‘friendly’ nations. We’ll be picking up a variety of foreign nationals, ARAP [translators eligible for resettlement under the Government’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy], anyone left behind.”
A Whitehall source highlighted that the Government had made commitments to “get as many people out as possible and they will do what they can to make that happen”.
Read that again. The British government promises to get as many people out as possible and do what is needed to accomplish that mission.
Let’s compare that to Biden’s promises on Aug. 31 that have not been fulfilled:
And for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out.
Secretary of State Blinken is leading the continued diplomatic efforts to ensure a safe passage for any American, Afghan partner, or foreign national who wants to leave Afghanistan…..
It will include ongoing efforts in Afghanistan to reopen the airport, as well as overland routes, allowing for continued departure to those who want to leave and delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
The British are rescuing people by “sending long-range, heavy-lift strategic transport aircraft” to nations neighboring Afghanistan, according to The Telegraph.
The combat interpreters are using overland routes to cross the borders. Clearly, the UK made agreements with these neighboring nations for landing rights and to allow Afghans to cross to safety.
As I reported, Secretary of State Blinken told the Senate on Sept. 14 that we have agreements with Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan for land crossing. But, as the British realized, people can’t get to the embassies in the capital cities to get processed. That’s why the RAF is flying closer to process their allies. But Pres. Biden won’t let our military do anything.
Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin told the Senate two weeks ago that the point person for the entire government on getting people out of Afghanistan was Amb. John Bass at the State Department. Bass was replaced this week with Amb. Elizabeth “Beth” Jones.
We know the U.S. military can safely get people out of Afghanistan if allowed because Austin said the Pentagon rescued 28 people from Afghanistan on Sept. 29. The U.S. has not said publicly who are these people and how the military got them out of the country.
But the U.S. is sitting on the sidelines because the commander in chief refuses to use military to save the American citizens and Afghan allies abandoned in the disastrous withdrawal six weeks ago.
I am in contact with several Afghan combat interpreters who worked side by side with our military. I profiled one of these brave men (still trapped!) in this story.
It’s shameful that these men who are loyal to the United States are hiding from the Taliban, while those who worked with British forces are flying to safety. Biden has to take action and use military flights to rescue people.
MY SOURCES:
The Telegraph: Revealed: RAF’s secret mission to rescue Afghan translators from the Taliban
Sept. 14 State Department briefing
I do not have contact information for the Royal Air Force to give to interpreters and American citizens to request rescue. So if you know how to apply, please put it in the comments.
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An observation I made today; as I was listening to ‘Hardtalk’ on the BBC, the Afghanistan ambassador to the US was being interviewed, Hon. Adela Raz. She expressed embarrassment and shame at the manner and speed of Afghanistan’s fall. She regrets Pres. Ghana’s corruption and dismay that the US Government does not listen to her concerns, especially humanitarian worries. I think this is the first time I’ve heard someone express regret over how we upended Afghanistan 🇦🇫.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010r0v