Thousands of Afghans that risked their lives working as translators for US troops

[Willis88]

I’m dismayed at the comments here.

We should have been out of Afghanistan years ago, and I do believe pulling out and ending the war is the right thing, but I’m saddened for all of the translators that worked beside our troops in combat missions. They risked their lives and the lives of their families to help us and are prime targets now as the taliban take over.

I’m so saddened about this. Again, pulling out was the right decision but why are we leaving our allies for the last 20 years behind. The US loses moral ground for the next conflict.

I’m also dismayed at some of the posts here.

[Dream Girl]

1. Welcome to DU!

[Willis88]

3. Thank you :)

[JohnSJ]

2. The evacuation was a blunder, and why that wasn't done before our withdrawal needs to be

understood

Saying it was all trump's fault because of his inept agreement with the taliban doesn't cut it.

Why wasn't the evacuation done first?

Rachel Maddow was of the few programs where this was pointed out weeks before the withdrawal, observing that the processing to get those who helped us out of the country wasn't going anywhere

If the evacuation wasn't a blunder, we wouldn't be sending troops back into Afghanistan after we withdrew them

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Stephen Miller doesn't want them here.

You're shocked, aren't you?

Kevin M. Kruse Retweeted

Stephen Miller usefully reminds everyone that the only argument against accepting a lot of Afghan asylum-seekers is racism.
It’s a moral obligation and strategically beneficial, and we shouldn’t throw those away because some Americans hate brown people and Muslims.

Link to tweet

[bdamomma]

6. Stephen Miller

can stuff it. Jerk.

[hamsterjill]

5. It's a matter of honor.

Right now, the USA is looking bad because of this issue. Biden needs to address it. I am hoping and praying that more is being done for these allies behind the scenes than what is known in the media.

[bdamomma]

8. oh the media

is all over this just spreading the crap even worse, on a Democratic President. Even the Afghani President screwed out his country.

[hamsterjill]

9. Agreed.

But the media doesn’t always know everything. I want to hear Joe tell me he had a plan for the interpreters! That Navy Seals were in the ground or something truly fantastic. I want him to have a “John Wayne” moment! (Sorry for the cliche.)

I want some of this to have some meaning. Because right now, the Repukes are winning on this.

[littlemissmartypants]

10. Me too, hamsterjill but I don't think they're winning.

They look like a bunch of over reacting idiot crybabies who think they know better than a President how to end wars and handle business.

President Biden has balls of steel. He made a tough presidential decision. Time for a reality check because the Democrats are in charge now.

The whiny Republican critics need to deal with the fact that we actually have a real president in charge. He's not some pilsbury doughboy poser whose leadership techniques were those of a rabid cat tearing through a drapery shop.

[hamsterjill]

11. I think we need to hear from Biden.

I have posted numerous times that I trust Joe on foreign policy. It’s his strength. There’s no one better.

But we need to hear from him that things are measured and controlled and that all is NOT chaos.

Dems frustrate me routinely because Republicans do better on messaging - mainly keeping their base fired up. Well, let’s get the Democratic base fired up!

[littlemissmartypants]

13. I can't say that I disagree with you. I am personally thankful

That my president is immensely qualified. I trust that whatever he's doing is going to take some time. I hope that he is using his wisdom right now to get to the bottom of this so called epic messaging screw up and then righteously dressing down the individuals responsible. I then expect him to put a more competent, better informed, truthful group of communicators on the case.

Those who need new assh*les should have them provided for them on their way out of the door.

Then when he's ready, I expect my president to calmly explain what we already know. Afghanistan is over party started yesterday. There's no going back. He's handling it.

Then maybe he'll remind us that the more important war we have to win is the war against the pandemic that we appear to be losing. Our own country is at risk of collapse, if only in murder by inches, if we don't come together as a nation and get vaccinated.

I want him to redirect our collective attention span to that and then I will think about how glad I am he's doing the hard work so I can do other things like eat a peaceful dinner and play with my dogs.

[hamsterjill]

16. Great response.

I hope we get this! I sincerely do.

We are fighting a pandemic and we are losing right now. At least in Texas. We certainly need to take care of matters at home.

Hopefully, a presidential address will be forthcoming soon.

[littlemissmartypants]

18. Hopefully. ❤ nt

[littlemissmartypants]

20. Here you go...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215745129

[hamsterjill]

21. Yes!!!!

Thank you.

[littlemissmartypants]

26. ❤ nt

[bdamomma]

12. the repukes

as you say are running away with this one. Very childish and very predictable to us who pay attention.

[GoodRaisin]

27. There is actually no scenario in which the repukes would not be running away with this.

It could have all seemed like the "textbook withdrawal" (whatever that is - ask all the armchair quarterbacks that appeared in the last 2 days) and the repukes would be bashing Joe with their lies 24/7).

As we all know.

[hamsterjill]

28. True.

But where are the Democrats countering this?

I’ve seen very few. Perhaps I’ve missed some?

[GoodRaisin]

30. Yes, I agree I have seen very few. Not enough.

Sadly, it's been too much of a kneejerk reaction to M$M sensationalism, and subsequent conjecture, instead of waiting for the situation to play out and get the facts about the withdrawal operations. But I expect Joe will address all that today.

[hamsterjill]

32. Yes.

I’m glad to see a scheduled address. I think it’s good that Joe will address the issue. I’ll be watching.

[kentuck]

7. I am sure they are doing everything possible to remove them from danger.

...and from the country. Sometimes things are beyond our control.

They need a secure location they can stay until they can be removed.

What more can they do?

[Treefrog]

14. You're sure, are you?

I bet they aren’t.

[Johnny2X2X]

15. Taliban is offering amnesty

I would assume this includes the translators, not sure why everyone assumes they'll be killed.

[hamsterjill]

17. Did you forget the sarcasm emoji?

Seriously? The Taliban offering amnesty?

[Johnny2X2X]

29. Yes, why do you think the Afghan army laid down their weapons?

Why do people think that their are no major battles going on right now? You think the Afghan army just decided they'd just give up to die? The Taliban sent envoys to the fighters and said don't fight and you will face no reprisal. It's part of the agreement they signed.

Like it or not, the Taliban came back to power with very little fighting, people would have fought if they thought they'd be killed.

[ansible]

22. They promised that to the former president of Afghanistan before cutting his balls off

[dalton99a]

19. Many left before the collapse and are living in Fremont Calif.

The East Bay has a large (~100,000) Afghan population, most of whom came during the war

[LisaL]

23. I sure hope we can get them out.

NT

[egduj]

24. Biden has promised that no one at risk will be left behind.

I don't see any reason why he would not honor this.

[ansible]

31. It's kinda hard to when the whole country's already under Taliban control

[panader0]

25. In WWII, the citizens of countries such as France that cooperated with the Nazis

were killed by ones who resisted after the Nazis were driven out.
The Afghans view the citizens who cooperated with the Americans
as traitors. I hope that the Taliban can be persuaded to let them exit the country but I'm not
going to hold my breath.