Reuters
A group representing U.S. veterans, service members and others is warning the Trump administration of severe impacts on U.S. security unless it exempts tens of thousands of Afghans – many at risk of Taliban retribution – from the president's foreign aid and refugee freeze that has stranded them worldwide. Possible consequences include a loss of trust that could impair local support for U.S. troops in future wars, said a letter sent on Saturday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio by Shawn VanDiver, the head of #AfghanEvac, the main coalition working on the resettlement of Afghans with the U.S. government. Denying the exceptions, it added, also will show foes like Islamic State that "the U.S. abandons its allies," and endanger active-duty Afghan-American U.S. military members' wives, children and parents who are stuck in Afghanistan.