Thread by @emilymiller

Today is a month since the US withdrew from Afghanistan and left American citizens, employees and Afghan allies behind to hide from the Taliban.

The State Department finally gave some specifics today on the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. I analyzed the key points that are new in this updated post: emilypostnews.com/p/afghanistan-… #EmilyPosts #ProjectExodus

The State Department says there are only 100 Americans in Afghanistan who are “ready to depart”. It has a plane out of Kabul for them.

State doesn’t know how many SIV are abandoned in Afghanistan. Says Department of Homeland Security is still counting which ones are already in the US.

State Dept says it’s doing this for the SIV left behind in Afghanistan- “we’re focused on ensuring that, for starters, that population is able to leave as opportunities become available.”

(This is DC speak for doing nothing.)

State Dept policy on who to help left behind in Afghanistan: “people who can demonstrably demonstrate that they’ve got active threats against them. … as opposed to people who simply are uncomfortable or fear the unknown that comes with the Taliban taking control”

US policy - American citizens are only allowed to return from Afghanistan with immediate family, not extended family.

State Dept: “those American citizens, are going to have to continue to think carefully about some potentially painful personal choices in that regard.”

On private rescue charter planes’ Afghan passengers now in Doha:

“We’ve had any number of people get off those flights who were not on the manifest and don’t necessarily have a sense of who they are or why they particularly think they would qualify.”