CNN
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About two dozen former U.S. military leaders — including the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the former top NATO allied commander and several ex-commanders in Afghanistan — sent a letter Saturday night to U.S. congressional leaders urging them to act quickly. Operation Rescue Afghan Allies Now at Risk of Deportation.
Specifically, the retired general and admiral asked congressional leaders to include the Afghanistan Adjustment Act in the omnibus spending bill, CNN first reported.
The letter, organized by #AfghanEvac, argues that the legislation is not only a “moral imperative,” it also advances “the national security interests of the United States.”
If it fails, the retired flag officer wrote, “America will be less safe. As military professionals, we have a responsibility to prepare for future conflicts. We assure you that in any such conflict, potential allies We will all remember what is happening now with our Afghan allies. If we claim our support for the military and want them to succeed in wartime, we must keep that promise today.”
The signatories included many names Americans might know, such as former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, Admiral Mike Mullen and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers; Commander Admiral Jim Stavridis; and Special Operations Commander Admiral William H. McRaven during the raid on bin Laden.
Other signatories served as commanders in Afghanistan, such as army generals. Stan McChrystal, David McKiernan, John “Mick” Nicholson Jr. and David Rodriguez.
“Through the Afghanistan Adjustment Act, we will implement the strictest security vetting in our Afghan immigration system to ensure our national security,” the letter said, with the former flag official noting that the legislation would maintain “our nation’s binding commitments “Usually sealed with blood, this is made for the men and women who join us, shohna-ba-shohna (side by side). ”
Those pushing for the legislation argue that if the Afghanistan Adjustment Act does not become law, time is running out for the tens of thousands of Afghans in the United States who now risk deportation. Many Republicans in Congress have raised real concerns about scrutiny and other issues, but supporters of the legislation believe those issues have been addressed.