Baffled Reporters Confront Biden Administration on Targeted Missionaries in Afghanistan
Note: Pay special attention to the 19:19 mark of the video at this link.
At a White House briefing by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan earlier this week, believers confronted Sullivan directly on the fate of Christian missionaries and aid workers abandoned to a potential death fate in Afghanistan.
The decision by President Biden to pull American soldiers from Afghanistan led to the overrun of the country by the Taliban, and reports of the above-mentioned people and others being in harm’s way keep trickling in.
Since the takeover, the Taliban’s atrocities have been reported. One church leader was even quoted as saying, “The Taliban are going to eliminate the Christian population of Afghanistan.”
Sullivan was asked in a press conference earlier this week: “There are a large number of Christian missionaries and aid workers who are particularly vulnerable because they’re known to be Christians. Is there any plan to get them to the airport and get them out?”
Sullivan replied, “We are working with a variety of different types of groups—journalists, aid workers, NGO workers and so forth—to help facilitate their departure from the country. Yes.”
During the press conference, the estimate of registered American citizens in Afghanistan was announced at 11,000, many whom supported various hospitals and ministries.
CBN News reported that a church leader said there were between 5,000 and 8,000 local Christians scattered throughout the country. He said they fear elimination from the Taliban because “Some of the believers are known in their communities, people know that they converted from Islam to Christianity, and they are considered apostates—and the penalty for that is death. The Taliban are famous for carrying out that punishment.”
The White House Press room atmosphere grew serious as even the most supportive of those present attacked the National Security Council Adviser for his failure to predict and prepare for the disaster.
Some of the tens of thousands of Americans in Afghanistan received a shocking message from the U.S. Embassy there, first telling them to “shelter in place” and then to proceed to the airport, followed with an all-caps notice that the United States was not responsive for getting them to the airport.
When confronted with the question of how Americans were to reach the airport, Sullivan replied to the anxious gathering, “We are talking with the Taliban, and they have promised safe passage to the airport.” Reporters met this response with a smattering of laughter and disdain.
This foreign policy failure could cause American allies from Taiwan to Korea to Japan to panic as to the American commitment to defend them appears to have weakened. The Biden administration could begin to lose the backing of even its own, as rumblings in Washington of the support of Democratic members of Congress as well as past Democratic administration officials are beginning to surface.
“A significant majority of Americans doubt that the war in Afghanistan was worthwhile, even as the United States is more divided over President Joe Biden’s handling of foreign policy and national security, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research,” The Associated Press reports. “Roughly two-thirds said they did not think America’s longest war was worth fighting, the poll shows. Meanwhile, 47% approve of Biden’s management of international affairs, while 52% approve of Biden on national security. The poll was conducted Aug. 12-16 as the two-decade war in Afghanistan ended with the Taliban returning to power and capturing the capital of Kabul. Biden has faced bipartisan condemnation in Washington for sparking a humanitarian crisis by being ill-prepared for the speed of the Taliban’s advance.”
Please pray for those Americans and missionaries still in Afghanistan who certainly will face a period of great tribulation. Psalms 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Anyone with family in Afghanistan can visit theworldhelpline.org to register their family members’ information. It will be delivered directly to the White House. {eoa}
Amir George directs The World Helpline at theworldhelpline.org. To help in these efforts, click here.
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