Interpreters Try to Leave Afghanistan

There is a rush out the door for interpreters trying to leave Afghanistan. With the withdrawal of ISAF troops, future reductions in foreign aid, contracting of the Afghan economy, and the threat of the Taliban (they are not defeated and certainly are not going away) the interpreters are seeing job prospects diminish and their future uncertain. The U.S. State Department has a horrible record in its ability to provide VISAs to Afghan interpreters even though Congress provided authorization for thousands of VISAs. It is only recently (2014) that the State Department (after an internal review prompted by external criticism) has actually processed VISAs to an acceptable standard. Read more about the plight of Afghan interpreters in "As a U.S. War Winds Down, Afghans Look for a Way Out", Public Radio East, September 11, 2014. at this link.