A disastrous decision on Afghan protections

A story on the front page on Monday, May 26, had the story of veterans decrying a Trump Administration decision to remove protected status from Afghans who fled their country after our disastrous military campaign.

Count me among them. One of my roles as an editor at Stars and Stripes, the newspaper for military members overseas, was to handle reporters “downrange,” including in Afghanistan. Those reporters needed “fixers” — Afghan nationals who could translate, set up interviews with Afghan government officials and often travel with reporters, helping to keep them safe. They helped keep me safe when I traveled there as well.

I wrote letters of recommendation for these Afghans who, when the war neared an end, wanted to emigrate to avoid reprisals from the Taliban.

The current administration, as is its way, is summarily ending a program that helped my friends find refuge. I won’t speculate on their motives, or on how effective the slashing of other programs has been.

One result of this decision, however, will be to endanger my friends. Moreover, this will tell potential friends giving us help and Intel in future wars (and there will be future wars) that the United States cannot be trusted to keep its word and to keep safe those who might help our troops.

I would urge the Trump administration to rethink this shameful, disastrous decision.

Patrick Dickson

Lindenhurst