1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I am writing to express my profound revulsion regarding reports that the administration is considering sending Afghan allies who risked their lives for our forces to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Abandoning those who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our service members is a disgraceful betrayal of the promises we made. This maneuver feels particularly hollow coming from a Commander-in-Chief whose own record is defined by a lack of service during the Vietnam era. It is deeply embarrassing to see our country treat veterans who aided our cause with such disregard. As Abraham Lincoln once reminded us, "Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause." By proposing to shuffle these individuals into limbo, we are failing to uphold the most basic principles of honor and integrity.   True leadership requires standing by those who have earned our protection. We must not, as General George S. Patton suggested, abandon the very people who carried the burden of our mission. It is vital that we fulfill our obligations to these Afghan allies by providing them with a safe and dignified pathway to the United States. I urge you to intervene and reject this policy immediately. Our national honor depends on it