George Packer bemoans the plight of Afghans who have assisted American forces and thus face grave dangers once the US withdraws. Why American visas are hard to come by:
[N]o one wants to own this problem. There is absolutely nothing to be gained by a consular officer, State Department diplomat, or Homeland Security official, other than the satisfaction of living up to a high standard of conduct, and perhaps saving a life. And letting in the wrong kind of Afghan could be a career killer. That, anyway, is the fear–or the purported fear. The only official Americans who habitually make this an issue are the troops who know exactly how important those Afghans are–who feel a debt of gratitude and sometimes a bond of brotherly or sisterly love. But those in uniform don’t count for much in Washington as individuals, and they aren’t necessarily adept at manipulating the levers of government.
The Dish 