Honest question as I’m late to this story- why would Pen’s staff be eligible to leave Afghanistan ahead of any other local? Is there a specific reason to differentiate them from other Afghans and which would justify them leaving?
They’re not simply put. And I know people think I’m harsh with this, but the goalposts are the same for any afghan wanting to leave, they weren’t changed for this case or anything, they were suddenly changed for them all.
I disagree with the changing of the goalposts however, and I think the US hs maybe done it so that when the republicans kick off there’s not too many refugees in ‘Merica without ID (even though the most some hold is a driving license


) The system for getting ID in Afghanistan sounded complicated too that most wouldn’t have anything, and the passport office couldn’t issue enough passports.
But tbh, reading between things, I can’t believe pen didn’t help sort his staff with passports tbh, even before this started, not all, but surely people like his vets have had them for travelling and resettling animals abroad.
personally, the main people for me for Britain to get out now are the people who worked for them- especially if we are breaching gdpr and putting people at risk. Rush or no rush, I expect that the info about all the British workers was securely destroyed as first priority. I felt quite sick reading this if I’m honest.
The afghan national airline evacuated their fleet of planes yesterday - no doubt empty - to Iran for safety. What does that say?
I can imagine they are going to sell them on, there’s no need for them now, and I wouldn’t take any risk of letting any other group getting near them, can you imagine….. and if the airline has to close then at least there’s some money in the pot.
they might have offered them to be fair to the rescue attempt but again, flying loads out on an Afghan plane, it’s a clear target isnt it. Where as shot at empty, it sounds awful, but it’s just the brave pilots.