In Afghanistan, interpreters who helped U.S. in war denied visas; U.S. says they face no threat

Washington Post ^ | 11/10/2013 | Kevin Sieff

[markomalley]

A growing number of Afghan interpreters who worked alongside American troops are being denied U.S. visas allotted by Congress because the State Department says there is no serious threat against their lives.

But the interpreters, many of whom served in Taliban havens for years, say U.S. officials are drastically underestimating the danger they face. Immigration attorneys and Afghan interpreters say the denials are occurring just as concerns about Taliban retribution are mounting due to the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

“There are tons of Talibs in my village, and they all know that I worked with the Americans,” said one interpreter, Mohammad, who asked that his last name not be published for security reasons. “If I can’t go to the States, my life is over. I swear to God, one day the Taliban will catch me.”

Mohammad received a U.S. form letter saying he had failed to establish that there was a “serious threat” against his life. He had explained in his application that the Taliban had spotted him on the job and spread word in his village that he was a wanted man.

In one particularly dangerous assignment, he was asked to mediate between U.S. soldiers and locals after an American convoy ran over and killed an Afghan child, he said.

In the initial phase of the visa process, “an applicant has to establish that he or she has experienced or is experiencing an ongoing serious threat as a consequence of employment by or on behalf of the U.S. government,” said Robert Hilton, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

[Dick Bachert]

It’s way past time to STOP sending our kids to be maimed and killed fighting other peoples’ civil wars just so some sleazy politician can beat his chest and feel manly and to punch the ticket of some Pentagon brass hats who get to play with very expensive taxpayer furnished battlefield “toys”. And when our last guy leaves, the bad guys come out of their holes, murder the locals foolish enough to trust and cooperate with us then take over the country anyway!

Einstein defined “insanity” as doing the same things over and over while expecting a different result.

If you’re curious as to how we might do things differently, here’s a video to explain it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkyEtw8lBtI

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks markomalley.

“There are tons of Talibs in my village, and they all know that I worked with the Americans,” said one interpreter, Mohammad, who asked that his last name not be published for security reasons. “If I can’t go to the States, my life is over. I swear to God, one day the Taliban will catch me.”

Don't worry, I'm sure Zero will send the jihadists plenty of ammo, so it'll be a nice clean shot.

[Chode]

but the boy's family is here illegally... and THAT'S OK!!!

[ExTexasRedhead]

Like there were no threats in Benghazi? If it’s so safe in Afganistan, send Congress and the State Department including Bengahzi Hillary ya think?

[Red Dog #1]

D,
Precisely. In a nut shell you’ve explained why we have failed.

R.D.

[man_in_tx]

This is an outrage.

Thousands of dubious Somalis invited in — but people who stepped up to fight the Taliban are left to die.

/////////////

My thoughts exactly. Well said!

[Nachum]

The list, Ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/

[MarMema]

This is really just plain evil.

[Java4Jay]

Same thing happening to the Iraq’s that helped us... they are left to be killed and die

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Re “This is really just plain evil”. We’ve beens saying that about Obama before he even got elected as President.

Remember, the State Department is the tool of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, two of the worst American politicians ever.

Hillary played with the Communist Party since 1969 and Kerry betrayed our country and others since 1969. If Benghazi wasn’t enough proof of this, then nothing else ever can be either.

These interpreters need to be given emergency entrance visas without any delay. Letters and calls to our congresspeople might help.

Re Vietnam. A lot of my friends risked their lives getting South Vietnamese friends out when the communists began to take over. Several were on the last choppers out after doing all they could.

Today our State Dept. is run by reds and fools who don’t give a damn about anyone except the Comrade in Chief and his asslickers Clinton and Kerry.

There are good people in the State Dept. but it is run and has been run by evil ones, and the evil ones had/have the power.

[Sarajevo]

There are tons of Talibs in my village, and they all know that I worked with the Americans,” said one interpreter, Mohammad, who asked that his last name not be published for security reasons.

If everyone knows you work for the Americans, whats the problem with giving out your full name?

[Sarajevo]

Yep. They did it for the money, then they want to be saved. If these were Americans who were working against other Americans, people here would be calling them traitors.

[Navy Patriot]

There’s your nation building.

You have a point, I agree, "nation building" doesn't work and likely never will.

I was particularly addressing the quality of B. Hussein Obama, and why not even morons should be dumb enough to trust him in any way, while your point addressed the greater picture of American foreign involvement.

Alas here again, the greater part of the US government, Rats and RINOs including GW Bush operate this squandering of US taxpayer funds (and perks) as little more than protection racket payoffs to American's worst enemies, while denying loyalist citizens and hanging 'em out to dry.

Nation building simply doesn't work, even with Republican "magic" in operation.