Tuesday, September 7, 2021

"The Largest Airlift Ever" by Ben R.

 

The recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as US and UN forces withdrew has led to a refugee crisis as thousands of Afghan refugees desperately tried to flee the country to escape Taliban retribution for assisting UN forces during their stay in the country. According to CNN over 100,000 refugees have been airlifted out in a situation similar to Operation Frequent Wind or the evacuation of Saigon after the Vietnam war as people desperately mob evacuation sites and hang on to aircraft as they take off, this airlift to get Afghans out is the largest  non combatant airlift ever. 25,000 Afghans are waiting in Ramstein, Germany and many were interviewed about what had happened as they went to the flights and what they thought about going to the United States, among those is a woman named Jamila who said that as she was entering the airport the Taliban ripped up their documents and shot bullets over their heads, as well as arresting her husband and brother-in-law.

Some are worried that letting so many Afghan refugees into the country is dangerous because of past terrorrism and a general distrust of foreigners, this is not a very realistic situation though because not only are these refugees leaving the country because they assisted the US soldiers but they are also given thorough background checks and are extensively checked for any hostility. This process of background checks is a part of the SIV program that is a program made specifically for refugees that once completed grants them a visa and the ability to bring their families along with them to the United States. 40,000 refugees are in assorted NATO bases going through this process to be then brought to the United States or any of the other countries that will be taking in refugees. 20,000 refugees are already in the states at military bases in Virginia, Wisconsin, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Indiana. Most refugees could not bring much with them as they left in a rush to escape the country.

The airlift has ended as of the 31st of August and now the long process to bring these refugees into willing countries is just beginning. These people helped us as we initially liberated the country from the Taliban and now it's time that we help them. We need to accept them into our country and make sure they have safe places to stay and good schools for their children.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58283177

https://www.wvtm13.com/article/what-legal-status-do-afghans-have-as-they-evacuate-to-the-us-it-varies/37451471#

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/airlift-begins-afghans-who-worked-us-during-long-military-campaign-2021-07-30/

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/afghanistan-evacuees-us-housing-17000-in-5-states-40000-overseas/#

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-c-17-pilot-afghanistan/

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"The Largest Airlift Ever" by Ben R.

  The recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as US and UN forces withdrew has led to a refugee crisis as thousands of Afghan refugees desper...