Date: 5/13/2021
Our nation’s longest war will end on Sept. 11 with the withdrawal of our remaining troops in Afghanistan. No matter what you think of the war, Americans should unite behind the urgent need to save the lives of the Afghans who helped us there.
Many of us will remember the nightly news’ images of terrified, fleeing South Vietnamese hanging on to American helicopters lifting off from our Saigon embassy. Whether due to a lack of time, planning, or political will, we left many South Vietnamese behind, and thousands of them were later killed by the North Vietnamese.
We have a moral obligation not to repeat that shameful history in Afghanistan.
The Taliban have demonstrated its willingness to hunt and kill women, religious minorities, civil-society activists, and perceived infidels and spies. It is certain that the Taliban will also target those Afghans who helped us to help themselves and their country. We can take action to protect them.
An estimated 17,000 Afghans are languishing awaiting U.S. visas. They should be taken to an overseas U.S. military base where their cases can be safely heard, beyond the reach of the Taliban. This is referred to as the “the Guam option,” after a U.S. rescue operation that saved thousands of Iraqi Kurds from Saddam Hussein in the 1990s by airlifting them to Guam.
Americans have served, fought, and died with honor to protect us by preventing Afghanistan from remaining a refuge for terrorists. It would dishonor their sacrifices to abandon the Afghans who served with them.
As we depart Afghanistan, let us leave no one who wants – and deserves – to come with us behind. Instead, let’s bring them somewhere safe so that their visa applications can be thoroughly vetted.
Join me in contacting our federal public officials so that we save our Afghan friends. We only have a few months to do it.
Timothy Murphy
Wilbraham
