Priority 2 Designation for Afghan Nationals program (P-2 program)
This program enables Afghans who work or worked for the US government or military to apply for visas to come to the United States. Their lives have always been at risk but with the withdrawal of American and Nato troops, the risk is now much greater. Recently that program was expanded to include Afghans who worked for Non-profit organizations operating inside Afghanistan. I'm now receiving several requests from TIE employees to provide the information needed to apply.
There is a catch-22 in the process at present, likely caused by the volume of applications. Applications will not be processed unless and until the applicant has relocated to and is living in another country. The program estimates that processing will take twelve to fourteen months. It will likely take much longer. The risk for a family is that it moves to another country and learns a year or more later that their visas were not approved. That they must weigh against the risk of a Taliban takeover.
Who are leaving?
Nabi tells me that this is just like it was in 1979 when the Russians invaded Afghanistan and 1996 when the Taliban rose to power. The educated are leaving as are those who can afford to. The uneducated and poor remain. When we first began in 2003, I experienced firsthand the "brain drain" that occurred after the Taliban gained control. The first teacher we hired to teach girls in Lalander had a third-grade education. She taught the girls in her home because the families didn't want to risk their daughters being in school.
Retreat and Regroup Strategy
Nabi, when questioned, explained to me that the fact that the Afghan military in some areas retreats rapidly is in many cases planned. The Taliban are drawn in, the Afghan military sends reinforcements and the Taliban are then driven out, having suffered considerable losses.
The impression we have from the media is that the Taliban are taking over major areas of the country without any or little resistance. Only time will tell which takeovers are temporary or permanent.
The Taliban take over the counties where the police and army are not well equipped. When the government sends special forces to help the local security forces, within hours they push the Taliban back. But, the problem is government forces are currently fighting in 28 different fronts in different provinces. Afghanistan has about 300,000 security forces and they are spread all over the country.
Atrocities
The American media isn't reporting the full extent of the atrocities committed by the Taliban. I've learned of some from Nabi who watches news emanating from Afghanistan. They are too horrific and shocking to share.
Currently, there are thousands of families in Kabul who are running away from the Taliban in the North and West. They are camping and sleeping on the streets and parks around Kabul.
Basir reports that life goes on in Kabul, including within our eight computer libraries. They are all open and utilized by an average of 600 children a day, sixty percent of whom are girls. But, everyone is very frightened and saddened by what is occurring.
Should We Have Withdrawn our Troops?
I understand that withdrawing is supported by a majority of Americans and it is the politically popular thing to do. But, we only had 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, all providing critical support and training for the Afghan military, behind the lines. As of February 8th of this year there had been no American combat deaths in Afghanistan for a year. I wasn't able to find a report for the period after February 8th to the present.
Our withdrawal is triggering the withdrawal of 7,500 Nato troops. The primary impact of the withdrawal is symbolic. It has emboldened more to come across the Pakistan border to fight, including soldiers in Pakistan's military.
All consequences considered, present and future, I think it was a bad decision. It was also pointed out to me this morning that the timing was bad. Why didn't we plan the withdrawal for the winter months? The Taliban spend their winters in Pakistan and return to fight in Afghanistan in the Spring. There would have been much fewer willing to cross the border to fight during the winter.
Trust in Education's Resolve?
I said to a village leader, during my second visit to Lalander in 2005, who had shown me a stack of business cards of people who had come to his home and had never returned; "I will come back as long as you want me to and as long as I can".
After 20 trips to Afghanistan, I stopped going back a few years ago. It became too dangerous for me and those standing near me. We have 25 Afghans currently working for us in Afghanistan.
If you will recall, a Taliban captive said years ago, "Americans have the watches, but we have the time". We will continue putting in the time and money as promised in 2005. It's the least we can do.
Budd
