This was not the US being overtaken by events, or making the best of a bad hand, or even a failure of planning. It was a deliberate policy choice by the President, to whom keeping Afghans out of the United States trumped any moral or legal responsibility to our staunchest allies
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All I'm asking people to do is clear the bar for intellectual honesty set by Trump on this question. He called these places shithole countries and made it as hard as possible for people living there to get to America. Same policy as Biden, except without the cant and sanctimony.
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The United States painted the faces of the Afghan Girls' Robotics team on their embassy wall in Kabul, called them the Afghan Dreamers, used them as a political prop under three presidents, and wont't let them get on a plane. They're begging Canada now. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/16/afghan-girls-robotics-team-kabul-airport-trapped-rescue/ …pic.twitter.com/ezenVx3AyO
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A good rule of thumb is that if a US government labels you "Dreamers" in any context, run and hide as fast as your legs can take you.
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I hope the Afghan Girls' Robotics team can make it to safety and will accept my death in the pincers of their future killbot army with equanimity. We had it coming.
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When these Afghan girls wanted to come to the US to take part in a robotics competition, it was Trump who cut through the red tape and found a way to let them in (They were denied visas for fears they might stay). Biden won't do as much to save their lives https://www.fox5dc.com/news/afghan-girls-robotics-team-arrives-in-us-just-in-time-for-competition …pic.twitter.com/TkPXq77ZB3
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The bipartisan bigotry against Central Asian muslims runs so deep that the US won't even act in its self-interest and cherry-pick a cohort of the most educated, promising Afghan young people, whose contribution would be massive, to allow in. That is a deep commitment to fear.
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Replying to @Pinboard @BeijingPalmer
A deep commitment to white supremacy
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Replying to @kimleannelliot @BeijingPalmer
I don't think that's the case. Different mechanisms drive American xenophobia.
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Replying to @Pinboard @BeijingPalmer
I think you’re incredibly naive but agree with most your points. It’s difficult to admit how much racism animates US motivations because we conveniently forget this country has been slave longer than free. It’s Biden’s choice to placate the confederates over his integrity.
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Afghans don't map very cleanly on to American racial categories, but they are all Muslim, and that is the chief stumbling block here.
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