Unbelievably, it has now been three years since Kabul fell, and with it, seemingly hopeful future for 41 million people.

These three years have defied time for those who still labor to safeguard America’s Afghan Allies. In moments of urgency, it’s as though the evacuation never ended. Certainly, the images of HKIA and Abbey Gate have lost none of their potency.  In moments of quiet however, the extent of this Sisyphean labor to mobilize an expansive and unfeeling bureaucracy across a desert of complacency seems more biblical in length and exhaustion.

This exhaustion is insignificant in comparison to what is endured by those who were left behind.

So here we are: the start of our 4th year of combatting a crisis that should have never fallen to people like us. There’s a range of emotions that cling to these August days; anger and betrayal are the first that come to mind as I write this. Despair however is not among them.

Thanks to the work of our Afghan partners who are now a key part 1208, over 40% of those who we currently aid have been approved to begin the immigration process to the United States. Of course, those who follow us will note that there is a significant difference between approval and getting on a plane. However, I remain hopeful due to some recent news.

I cannot yet share the details, but the last few weeks have seen the single most significant development over these long three years. Without question, we know that people are listening to us.

We also know that people have listened to our allegations against National Geographic and Disney. For now, I would rather emphasize remembering what has been lost, and what still needs to be done. Suffice to say though, the Retrograde saga has not reached its inevitable conclusion.

I understand that the days which lie between August 15th and 30th are just regular summer days to most. I don’t begrudge anyone for that- in fact, I’m jealous. However, whether you know the full extent of what transpired, or even just caught a glimpse, please take a moment to appreciate the enormity of what went wrong in concluding 20 years of war, and the catastrophic human toll that went with it. The aftershocks will continue to reverberate, and it is nearly inevitable that you will receive a similar newsletter a year for now, because so many of us simply cannot find the off-ramp. Of course, in order to keep going, we are still dependent on donations from our supporters to keep up the fight.

Until next time,

Tom