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Matt Zeller Profile picture
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8 May, 4 tweets, 3 min read
7 years ago today, @JanisShenwary and I joined our friends in Congress to announce the Afghan Allies Protection Extension Act of 2014. It has been used to keep the Afghan SIV program alive ever since.
(Thread)
Little did we know at that time just how much more work we’d have to do. We’re still not there yet. Now is our most desperate hour.
We need your help. Please contact your member of Congress and President Joe Biden. Urge them to support an immediate air evacuation of our #Afghan wartime allies to #Guam. #SaveOurTerps #SaveTheSIV #SIV #SaveThem #WartimeAllies #Interpreters
This is a Never Again moment in the making. We can prevent it. We can stop a genocide. But only if we have the courage and conviction to do the right thing.

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More from @mattczeller

Matt Zeller Profile picture
9 May
The morning after @JanisShenwary saved my life, I found him eating alone in our chow hall. I sat down & thanked him for saving my life - it was the first real conversation we ever had. I asked him why saved me. His answer changed my thinking on #Afghanistan forever. (thread)
He said, “you are a guest in my country, I die before you do.”

“Well, you’re a hell of a shot, I’m really glad you’re on our side. Hey, why is that, why are you on our side?”
“My mom would kick my ass if I joined the Taliban.”

It wasn’t the answer I ever expected to hear. “I don’t understand, I thought women didn’t have any power over here?”

“You know nothing of Afghans,” he said, staring into my eyes.

“You’re right. I don’t. Will you teach me?”
Read 9 tweets
Matt Zeller Profile picture
8 May
“European allies are pushing the U.S. to delay its withdrawal from Afghanistan—which U.S. officials had suggested could be complete by as early as July 4—to give NATO allies more time and support to leave, U.S. officials said…

(Thread) wsj.com/articles/europ…
In another complication, Turkey, which for years has secured the airport in Kabul, has told the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that its troops may leave as well, the officials said…
Turkey’s potential departure, after it initially had planned to stay until after the coalition withdrawal, could prompt some nations to reconsider plans to keep embassies open in the capital without an international force at Hamid Karzai International Airport, officials said.”
Read 6 tweets
Matt Zeller Profile picture
15 Apr
I cannot stop thinking about this one #Afghan Army Lieutenant Colonel I met early in my tour in 2008. He ran a depot outside of Gardez, massive warehouses filled with weapons, bullets, body armor, boots, and uniforms. Enough to equip an Army. (a thread)
The previous day I had visited an Afghan police outpost manned by two teenagers and an old man. They had one weapon that actually could fire bullets (the other two were for show and lacked firing pins). None of them had been paid in months, had a uniform, or shoes.
When I asked where the Taliban were in this area they pointed at the house across the street and said, “they are there and now that you have come they will attack us as soon as you leave.”
Read 5 tweets
Matt Zeller Profile picture
13 Apr
With today’s news that the US will withdraw all of its forces from #Afghanistan by September 11, we must begin the immediate evacuation of our Afghan wartime allies (interpreters, engineers, aid workers, etc.). When we leave, the Taliban will slaughter our friends with impunity.
When collapse occurs in Afghanistan, it will engender a rapid evacuation that, given Afghanistan’s unique place in the world and our geopolitical relations with its neighbors, must occur via air.
There are four, maybe five airfields in all of Afghanistan that will be able to handle the airlift needed to rapidly evacuate our own personnel and absolutely must have equipment.
Read 9 tweets
Matt Zeller Profile picture
17 Nov 20
In light of the recent @nytimes story outlining Trump’s desire to attack Iran, I think the firing of the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration is all due to the alleged planned attack on Iran. (A thread).

stripes.com/news/us/us-nuc…
Trump and his ilk hated the Obama era 6-party accords. They withdrew the US from them upon taking power and have never let up from the claim that the accords did nothing but delay an inevitable Iranian nuclear weapon - which they calculate as an unacceptable threat.
If one was going to take out the Iranian nuclear program, one would have to use either the GBU-43/B MOAB or nuclear weapons. The MOAB doesn’t guarantee total destruction & it would be very difficult to accurately gage the caused by the MOAB en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GBU-43/B_…
Read 25 tweets
Matt Zeller Profile picture
10 Nov 20
Here’s a thread of everyone Trump has fired since losing the election. As I keep this, please remember the first concrete moves of a coup are always to secure control over the military, intelligence, and security services.
First up, Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration - the Department of Energy organization that controls the US nuclear weapons stockpile. Fired 6 NOV 2020. defensenews.com/breaking-news/…
Second, Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper. nytimes.com/2020/11/09/us/…
Read 4 tweets

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