ISSAQUAH, Wash. — A pair of veterans are trying to rescue an interpreter who served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and who now faces retaliation from the Taliban as the United States withdraws from the country.
Moneer, an Afghan interpreter, whose last name KING 5 is withholding due to security concerns, helped U.S. forces for years in some of the most dangerous territory.
“He's served more than 99 percent of Americans in defending our country and he's been in probably more gunfights than probably 99 percent of veterans themselves,” said Matthew Griffin, a former Army Ranger who worked with Moneer in Afghanistan.
He and Greg Adams, a former Green Beret, who also worked with Moneer, left the war zone and came home. But Moneer and many others who helped the U.S. had to stay in Afghanistan.
Now that U.S. forces are withdrawing from the country, Griffin and Adams fear what might happen to their friend.
“Time is of the essence, lives are in the balance, and we need to act,” Adams said.
He and Griffin, frustrated that the U.S. is not doing enough to save Afghan allies, are raising money to evacuate Moneer and his wife to the U.S.
The Biden administration plans to fly about 2,500 Afghans, who assisted the military, to the U.S. this month, but it's not clear if Moneer will be among that group.
“I don't think that's been handled well - it clearly has not been handled well. There's been a lack of clarity about who is going to leave. We don't know if somebody is going to qualify to leave the country right now,” Adams said.
He and Griffin hope a NATO country will take Moneer in soon. It would be a safe place to wait while the U.S. government decides his future.
“You live and work and eat with these people every single day, they're part of your team, I can't see leaving him behind, I've talked about that American dream with him and I want him to see him have it,” Adams said.