boris-johnson” target=”_blank”>U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson<, potentially leading to 20,000 Afghans being taken in over the next few years in the wake of the collapse of the NATO presence in Afghanistan.
Johnson said the refugee program will allow 5,000 Afghan allies into the U.K, of which more than 2,000 have already been brought in.
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Aug 18 2021: Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the debate on the situation in Afghanistan inside parliament in London. (House of Commons via AP)
“These are interpreters, they are locally engaged staff and others who have risked their lives supporting our military efforts and seeking to secure new freedoms for their country,” Johnson said, addressing Parliament. “We are proud to bring these brave Afghans to our shores – and we continue to appeal for more to come forward.”
“We will be increasing that number over the coming years, as I said, to 20,000,” he added.
Johnson addressed the House of Commons in the wake of the Taliban retaking Afghanistan ahead of the U.S. withdrawal at the end of the month, which has sparked a humanitarian crisis in the country and international concern about both the humanitarian and potential security fallout.
Kabul fell much quicker than expected, and thousands of Afghans flooded to Kabul airport to try and flee the country ahead of the Taliban takeover. It has also led to fears in Europe of a new migration wave similar to that which thrust the continent into crisis in 2015.
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Johnson announced that Britain would not be deporting Afghans back to the country but added: “nor, by the way, will we be allowing people to come from Afghanistan to this country in an indiscriminate way.”
“We want to be generous but we must make sure we look after our own security,” he said.
Johnson was forced to defend his own actions from criticism both from his own Conservative Party back benches and opposition MPs as well. Johnson emphasized that NATO allies had little choice once the U.S. decided to pull out.
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“The West could not continue this U.S.-led mission, a mission conceived and executed in support and defense of America, without American logistics, without U.S. air power and without American might,” he said.
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He conceded, too, that “the collapse of the Afghan forces has been much faster than expected.”
But Johnson still faced a grilling from fellow MPs on both his own actions, and the broader government.
“Was our understanding of the Afghan government so weak? Was our knowledge of the position on the ground so inadequate?” former Tory Prime Minister Theresa May asked. “Or did we just feel that we have to follow the United States and hope that, on a wing and a prayer, it would be all right on the night.”
“There’s been a major miscalculation of the resilience of the Afghan forces and a staggering complacency from our government about the Taliban threat,” said Labour Party opposition leader Keir Starmer.
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While Johnson was careful not to criticize his counterpart in Washington, other lawmakers took aim at President Biden directly. Tom Tugendhat, a Tory MP and Afghanistan veteran, bristled at Biden’s criticism of the Afghan army.
“To see their commander in chief call into question the courage of men I fought with – to claim that they ran – is shameful,” he said. “Those who have not fought for the colors they fly should be careful about criticizing those who have.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.