I try not to do many predictions but once in a while it’s so obvious it’s unavoidable. I predicted the other day that it was only a matter of time before the right wing starts demagoguing the Afghan refugees as possible terrorists coming to kill us all in our beds.
Behold the Texas Attorney General (a criminal, btw) on Fox News:
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on Friday that he is “concerned” about Afghan refugees coming to his state because “we don’t know if they’re sending terrorists.”
Paxton made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends First” in reaction to news that Fort Bliss, headquartered in El Paso, could temporarily host refugees being evacuated from Afghanistan as the Taliban takes over.
“I’m very concerned about them coming to Texas because of the way this was done. There’s not a lot of vetting,” he claimed. “We don’t know if they’re sending terrorists over.”
Paxton compared the situation to the U.S.-Mexico border, claiming “terrorists could cross there as well,” ignoring the fact that the vast majority of immigrants apprehended there are being turned away under the Title 42 expulsion order, a controversial policy which allows officials to deny entry under the guise of public safety related to the pandemic.
Refugee Services of Texas, which assists with refugee resettlement in the state, recently told a Texas news outlet that it expects to settle at least 324 Afghan civilians amid U.S. operations in the country. Officials explained that all applicants applying for resettlement would undergo background checks and health screenings before they are allowed in.
Those who have worked with the U.S. government will be able to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa through the State Department before they are allowed to travel to other parts of the United States beyond Fort Bliss. According to the El Paso Times, those whose visas are approved will then be moved to be with relatives, host families, or will be resettled separately.
And if it does happen that a jihadist managed to sneak in, wait for the media to rise up in one shrill primal scream.
There are reasons Bush, Obama and Trump just let the war go on for 20 years. This is one of them.
Recall Lyndon Johnson’s fateful words speaking to his close friend Senator Richard Russell:
Lyndon B. Johnson: I don’t think the people of the country know much about Vietnam and I think they care a hell of a lot less
Richard Russell: I know, but you go send a whole lot of our boys out there –
Lyndon B Johnson: Yeah that’s right. That’s exactly right. That’s what I’m talking about. You get a few. We had 35 killed — and we got enough hell over 35 — this year […] The Republicans are going to make a political issue out of it, every one of them, even Dirksen
Richard Russell: It’s the only issue they got […] It’s a tragic situation. It’s just one of those place where you can’t win. Anything you do is wrong…