You’re trapped in Afghanistan. You finally make it to the airport in Kabul. You’re an American citizen. Before you go, you’re informed that you need to foot the bill to leave. Yeah, it’s going to cost you big league. If you want a story that just pours salt in the wound that is America’s epic cluster of an exit from Afghanistan, it’s that the Biden administration was going to charge American $2,000 to leave the country. Yeah, and it drew a huge backlash of course. The State Department announced that it would be nixing this procedure due to the extraordinary circumstances. I would hope so (via NY Post):
The State Department was forced to scrap a widely excoriated plan to bill US citizens $2,000 or more for their evacuation flights from Kabul.
The hefty price tag drew social media outrage Thursday after it gained public notice.
“In these unique circumstances, we have no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement provided to The Post.
The cost was publicly posted to a State Department website on Saturday but went largely unnoticed before it was highlighted by Politico’s military-focused newsletter Thursday.
An unnamed State Department spokesman initially stood by the charge, telling Politico that “U.S. law requires that evacuation assistance to private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided ‘on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.’”
But the cost drew widespread condemnation.
Yet, even after the declaration from the State Department that no payment would be sought, Andrew Kerr at the Daily Caller noted that nothing has been updated on the website.
“The Biden admin said … it had no intention of seeking reimbursement from people fleeing Afghanistan. This is what the form that Americans are REQUIRED to complete to secure their flight out of Afghanistan says RIGHT NOW,” he wrote including a screenshot showing the fees for repatriation.
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The Biden admin said nearly 4 hours ago it had no intention of seeking reimbursement from people fleeing Afghanistan.
— Andrew Kerr (@AndrewKerrNC) August 20, 2021
This is what the form that Americans are REQUIRED to complete to secure their flight out of Afghanistan says RIGHT NOW: pic.twitter.com/IYAYQFYJJW
"This form is the only way to communicate interest in flight options. We will notify you directly by email based on your registration as soon as departure options become available."https://t.co/liAlnwPo75 pic.twitter.com/7r3GYAgH32
— Andrew Kerr (@AndrewKerrNC) August 20, 2021
It's been nearly 6 hours since State Dept. Spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration has "no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan."
— Andrew Kerr (@AndrewKerrNC) August 20, 2021
Required gov. evac form, right now: "All passengers will need to reimburse the U.S. Gov. for the flight." pic.twitter.com/BGiKYCt3fq
“It's been nearly 6 hours since State Dept. Spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration has ‘no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan.’ Required gov. evac form, right now: ‘All passengers will need to reimburse the U.S. Gov. for the flight.’”
Let’s hope things get cleared up today. Then again, if they don’t, I wouldn’t be shocked. As the past few days have shown, the experts lied to us about what was going on here.
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