Rep. Driscoll Signs onto Letter to Federal Delegation on Afghan Allies
In response to the recent events in Afghanistan, 70 lawmakers from the state House and Senate, including Representative Bill Driscoll Jr., sent a joint letter to the Massachusetts federal delegation in Congress urging them to do everything in their power to get US Afghan allies out of the country and ensure their safety.
August 16, 2021
Dear Federal Colleagues,
Over the last few days we have seen harrowing and shocking images in the media of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. As US military forces withdraw, the Taliban has quickly taken control of the country and all possible border crossings out of Afghanistan. These developments not only endanger the lives of Americans still in Afghanistan, they endanger the lives of thousands of Afghan allies who have helped our military forces over the past two decades. As state legislators, we implore you to do everything in your power to get these individuals out and ensure their safety. These people were there for us, and now we must be there for them.
Over the past two decades, both US and NATO personnel stationed in Afghanistan have depended on translators, linguists, contractors, and guides: all of them Afghan citizens. Their work has not only been critical to our missions, it has been essential to keeping our personnel safe and alive. Some of us know this from first-hand experience serving in Afghanistan. These are local residents who signed up to work with us despite the risks this brought to themselves and their families. Their lives, and their families lives, are still at risk. As our military forces formally withdraw and the Taliban regains power, that risk is severely heightened.
We cannot forget our friends and the great sacrifices they have made to help us. And we cannot forget the risks that we have asked our allies to take for our very own safety. We know there are bounties on the heads of translators and guides. These people and their families face imminent danger for aiding us and that risk only grows as each day goes on. As you continue to work diligently with military officials, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and other agencies on evacuation plans, we must also make every effort to get our Afghan allies out. We urge you to continue this critical work. It is our duty as a nation to ensure that no man, woman, or child is left behind, and we pledge to assist in this mission however we can.
