For Immediate Release
Today we learned that Canada would be immediately wrapping up evacuation operations in Kabul as a response of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and resulting rapid seizure of most of Afghanistan by the Taliban.
Members of Brigade in different capabilities have been actively involved in assisting in the evacuation of Afghans over the past two weeks. While most of our partners have been successful in extracting their people, the saddest stories come from those vets who tried to get their interpreters and families out of Afghanistan. Where there was success in getting Afghans out of Kabul and to other countries, the Canadian response was by and large riddled with the most misinformation, misdirection and disappointment.
The government's ignoring of veteran pleas for help to extract interpreters and their families over the past several months went unanswered. The slow response to initiate evacuation, the half full planes, the administrative red tape, inability to move through the checkpoints (unlike some of our allies) and continual excuses by the government is disappointing.
With so many of our friends now left behind in Kabul, we need to continue to give hope to the people who risked their lives to help Canadian soldiers and our allies. They were the future of Afghanistan and now have been left behind.
Canada can and should do more.
