In the months leading up to the United State’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, veterans of the War in Afghanistan were seemingly screaming into the void as they raised alarm bells that thousands of our allies on the ground there still needed refuge. As we all know, the US has now withdrawn American forces from Afghanistan, but our allies remain – most
of whom are living in constant fear of the Taliban. That is, if they’re even still alive.
It has been clear for some time now that IAVA veterans think more should be done on behalf of Afghans who served alongside U.S. troops during our two decades of involvement in Afghanistan. In our recent survey, 72% of IAVA veterans think more should be done, while only 3% say less. 12% also personally participated in efforts to assist Afghan refugees during or after the withdrawal from Afghanistan, while another 33% knew someone who did. Many of our veteran members also told us that they contributed some of their own money to help Afghans in need, in addition to providing emotional support to Afghans they served alongside that in some cases helped save their life.
Fixing the Special Immigrant Visa system (SIV) to help our Afghan allies will not only save lives, it’s critical to our national security that we keep the promises we made to them and others — you help us, we’ll help you — if we want local help again in wartime. It also remains to be understood what the broader impact of this prolonged struggle has been on the military and veteran community, but many veterans have experienced an emotional toll, feeling personally responsible for the promise America made to their Afghan comrades, and in some cases shouldering responsibility for their avoidable death.
IAVA continues to push the Biden Administration to commit to a plan for evacuating Afghan allies left behind after the U.S. withdrawal. While recent reviews acknowledge delays in the evacuation, IAVA insists on a concrete strategy to protect those who supported U.S. forces during the war. We remain focused on ensuring their safety and securing our national security by keeping the promises made to our allies.
IAVA is leading the charge to pass the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, which would provide safe refuge to Afghan allies who fought alongside U.S. forces. Despite setbacks, including its exclusion from the 2023 omnibus spending bill, IAVA continues to press Congress to prioritize this critical legislation.
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