On Thursday, the House overwhelmingly voted for more Afghan allies to be evacuated into the US. Meaning thousands of Afghans who worked with Americans in the Afghanistan war will be under US protection from an anticipated Taliban retaliation as the US military presence withdrawals from the Middle East.
Representative Neal Dunn, Florida Republican and Vietnam war veteran, reminded the House of what resulted in the US withdrawal from Vietnam—leaving many Vietnamese who worked with American force to fend for themselves, leading to fearing and meeting death and detention.
“We cannot do this again. We must not do this again. We must bring back … all the people who were so important to us in combat,” Neal Dunn said. “Please do not abandon friends of America again.”
The House passed it, 407 votes for and 16 votes against the bill, sending it to the Senate. Representative Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat and former Army Ranger who fought in Afghanistan, created the bill. It allows an additional 8,000 visas for those who worked with American forces and civilians in Afghanistan.
Adding to the current number of special visas already created for 26,500 Afghan allies.
The Biden Administration decreed an end to the US military presence in Afghanistan by September 11th, 2021. The Pentagon states that 95% of the US withdrawal process will end by August 31st, 2021.
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