On Aug. 14, 2021, President Joe Biden announced that he intended to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. The day after, the Taliban successfully took Kabul, causing the entire country to fall under their rule. On Tuesday, Aug. 31, the last American troops stationed in Afghanistan left, officially ending a twenty year war. Despite all of this, there are still innocent people in Afghanistan who are under attack. What can we do to help these innocent people attempting to escape?
Was it the right thing for Biden to withdraw the troops from Afghanistan? There are many differing opinions. Some say that he shouldn’t have withdrawn troops, as this will put the United States in danger of a terrorist attack. Others say it’s good that we withdrew, as we were just using funding and resources to beat a dead horse, the dead horse being the threat of a terrorist attack. We on the Editorial Board believe that withdrawing the troops was the right thing to do. Not only were we using resources and funding that could be used elsewhere, we were putting soldiers at risk. Just by withdrawing, we lost thirteen soldiers to a suicide bombing just outside of Kabul Airport. How many more would we have lost if we hadn’t withdrawn?
Who is under attack in Afghanistan right now? With the Taliban having control over the entire country, who is most at risk of being jailed or put to death because of the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law? You may be asking, “What is Sharia law?” According to somewhere, Sharia law is religious law set by the Quran, the Islamic holy book. Some of the attributes found in Sharia law include the inferiority of women and the harsh punishment for homosexuality, which includes death for a four-time offender. One example of Sharia law is if a woman is sexually assaulted and ends up pregnant, she can be sentenced to death because she conceived a child out of wedlock, while the man who assaulted her usually walks free.
There has been talk of Kentucky receiving about 775 Afghan refugees. According to the Courier Journal, Louisville is set to get about 350 refugees, Lexington 125, Bowling Green 200 and Owensboro up to 100. These are people who have helped the American soldiers in Afghanistan, whether that be as translators, guides or as soldiers. These people have done so much to help our country, and the least we can do is offer them food and shelter in their time of need. While most refugees have traveled on foot to Pakistan and Iran, those who remain need a place to go. According to the American University in Washington, D.C, the U.S. has only received about 1,600 refugees. We could accept so many more refugees, especially for all the things these people have done for our country. So what can we do to help?
Donating to organizations that help support Afghan families in their time of need is one way you can help. Some organizations that you can donate to include the International Rescue Committee, a non-profit organization that has been assisting people whose lives have been ripped apart by conflict in third-world countries. If you’d prefer to donate to a more local organization, you can donate to the Kentucky Refugee Ministry, another non-profit that helps refugees resettle and feel welcome in their time of need. If you can’t donate,email the White House and urge President Biden to protect Afghans in need. Even just taking the time to read and learn about the situation in Afghanistan can really help you understand why they are in dire need of help. Educating yourself leads to educating others, and others may be able to help!
The Afghan people need our help to evacuate from the dangerous situation that has taken over the country of Afghanistan. Whether you can help or not, it’s important to educate yourself and others in order to spread correct information about who needs help and why they need help. What’s happening over in Afghanistan is dangerous, and we need to help the people who have helped the U.S. so many times before.